Where Bulldozers won't reach, UCC will
If we look at the whole bill, it’s another way to harass Muslims. Where they can’t use bulldozer they will use the Uniform Civil Code. Read More
Live-in relationship is now no more a private affair in Uttarakhand. The state has become the first to implement Uniform Civil Code. The Code is really fascinating. It has put live in relationship alongside with marriage, and also interferes with Muslim rules of marriage.
The UCC criminalizes polygamy, calls for registering of live-in relationship, criminalizes the relationship if not declared within one month of time, and the thing that makes me laugh is that the code calls for maintenance to the girl if deserted by a boy in a live in relationship. Another burden on a boy and this makes the relationship a very serious affair. It appears that someone with no knowledge of how relationships are formed and how they end up has drafted the bill.
On the other hand, the UCC says nothing about the cruelty of a woman. For instance, a girl cheats on a boy and then she still wants to be with him but the he doesn’t want to be with her. Is the boy still under obligation to pay maintenance? The code doesn’t talk about it all.
The privacy in this law has no value. The live-in has to be registered and you will be given a certificate of the live-in. The problem arises here. The registering officer will have power to verify your relationship. He will look into various aspects before issuing you a certificate. Now a third guy will make your relationship valid or invalid.
To me this makes no sense and it will be another way of harassing inter-faith relationships. And, the real problem will arise when a Hindu woman will be in relationship with a Muslim. Will the registar issue the certificate or not is the main question.
I fail to understand what had come to the person’s mind while framing the bill. These people are so much against love and all they want is hate. This bill is same as what’s written in Prayag Akbar's book, the son of MJ Akbar. LELA the book I am talking about. The bill isn’t mentioned there as a whole but if you read it you will get the sense that this book is somewhere related to the Uttarakhand UCC.
Right to privacy has been declared as Fundamental Right but have they ever cared about what they say. And we are all very well aware of the results if one goes to the Supreme Court to challenge the newly passed bill.
The law even empowers the registry to inform the parents in case either of the one doesn’t fulfil the norms of live-in relationship being registered. I am worried what if in some cases the registry knows the family of either of the two and informs them about their private relationship.
These all things are confusing and scary. In some cases, parental nod is required. What are they even up to. Indian society is still a society that doesn’t consider relationship a normal affair. Young boys and girls still have to give excuses to meet his girlfriend or her boyfriend, will that society give nod for their live-in-relationship. How will this happen, I am so worried.
The code calls marriage of a man null and void in case he’s already married, this is interference in the Muslim law. As per the Muslim law you can have four views at the same time but the code criminalizes it and makes it a punishable offense.
The distribution of property as per this code is interference with the Muslim rules of property. If we look at the whole bill, it’s another way to harass Muslims. Where they can’t use bulldozer they will use the Uniform Civil Code.
The bill looks to be farmed in a hurry without proper consultation from experts. It looks another way to appease Hindu voters and to make sure that they don’t ask for development for voting them in the upcoming elections.
[The writer, Raqif Makhdoomi, is a Law student and Rights Activist.]
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