New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah It was announced on Friday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)bjp) will implement the ambitious goals of the RSS and its party Uniform Civil Code (UCC) once they are elected to power in the high-stakes West Bengal elections.Shah, pulling out all the stops ahead of the Bengal polls, said in no uncertain terms that the UCC would be launched within six months of the BJP coming to power.
The UCC proposes a common set of personal laws covering marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption for all citizens of India irrespective of their religious beliefs. It aims to ensure equality before the law and promote national integration by replacing religion-based personal laws with a unified legal framework.In Bengal polls, BJP struggles to wrest power from three-time chief minister Mamata BanerjeeThere is strong opposition to the UCC and the issue is expected to lead to a highly polarized election as the proposed legislation is one of the Sangh’s key propositions and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has rolled it out in phases in the states it rules.Shah made the remarks while launching the party’s manifesto “Sankalp Patra” for the West Bengal Assembly elections earlier in the day.Addressing a program in Kolkata after announcing the manifesto, Shah said some BJP-ruled states have implemented UCC to ensure that a single, unified set of laws applies to all citizens.“Several BJP-ruled states have already implemented the Uniform Civil Code. Within six months, we will implement the Uniform Civil Code in Bengal and ensure that a single, uniform set of laws applies to all citizens across the state,” news agency ANI quoted him as saying.He further said that the party would take measures to stop inter-state infiltration and livestock smuggling.“We will not only seal the Bangladesh border against infiltrators but also ensure that not a single cow is smuggled out of India through Bangladesh,” Shah said.Talking about the party’s election manifesto, Shah said that ‘Sankalp Patra’ presents a roadmap to address the concerns of various sections of society in the state with the aim of lifting them out of despair.“This declaration is a way out of despair in various regions of Bangladesh. It will show a new way out for farmers who are surrounded by all kinds of fears. This declaration will also put before the people of Bangladesh the road map for a developed India envisioned by Prime Minister Modi.”The Union Home Minister further claimed that the people of the state are seeking political change.“People are scared and disillusioned. People genuinely want change. Today we are the main opposition party in the Bengal Assembly,” he said.Shah also said a committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge would be set up to investigate incidents of political violence and three white papers would be launched to address corruption, political violence and restoration of law and order.“We will set up a commission, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, to investigate all incidents of political violence – regardless of party – and ensure that every case is taken to its logical conclusion. Three white papers will be launched to address corruption, political violence and restoration of law and order,” Shah said.The manifesto, based on the concept of ‘Sonar Bangla’ (Golden Bengal), promises a transformation in governance with a focus on national security, youth employment and women’s security. Listing out the major promises, Shah said the BJP has outlined 15 major promises to address governance, development and security issues in West Bengal.Polling for West Bengal’s 294-member assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting taking place on May 4.
