Hyd: AIMIM Prez Owaisi opposes UCC, NRC; says they target minorities
Hyderabad, Sept 14 (TNT): AIMIM President and Hyderabad MP, Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday opposed the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC), alleging that the measures would disproportionately affect minorities, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and migrants.
Reacting to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks that all 21 NDA-ruled states would implement the UCC before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and that discussions were underway with allies on a nationwide NRC, Owaisi said the BJP’s allies should demonstrate an independent political position.
Owaisi, in a post on ‘X’, alleged that the “misplaced arrogance” of Shah and the government’s earlier “chronology” had contributed to the anti-CAA/NRC movement in 2019.
He said the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise had already caused difficulties for ordinary people who were being asked to appear for hearings with documents, and argued that an NRC would create greater hardship.
“NRC will force everyone to stand in line and prove their citizenship,” Owaisi said, questioning how people dependent on ration for their livelihood would be expected to produce documents to establish their citizenship.
Referring to the NRC exercise in Assam, he claimed that its implementation had been “disastrous” and said a nationwide NRC could be significantly more difficult for citizens.
On the UCC, Owaisi said the BJP itself had previously appointed a Law Commission which had stated that a UCC was neither necessary nor desirable.
He argued that India’s pluralism was central to the country’s character and alleged that a UCC would amount to imposing Hindu law on non-Hindus.
Owaisi also cited laws such as the Disturbed Areas Act and legislation relating to alleged “love jihad”, alleging that such measures disproportionately affected Muslims and Christians.
“A UCC isn’t about equality; it’s about targeting Muslims,” he added.
TNT KS
