Aizawl: Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who is also the president of Mizo National Front (MNF), wrote to the Law Commission of India and said that the proposed implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country is in conflict with the religious or social practices of the Mizos and their customary laws.
Zoramthanga, who wrote on behalf of the MNF, said that the party is in respectful disagreement with the proposed introduction of UCC in the Parliament for its implementation throughout the country.
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The MNF is of the opinion that the implementation of the controversial law is against the interest of the ethnic minorities in general and the Mizos in particular, he said.
“Since the proposed implementation of UCC throughout the territory of India is in conflict with the religious of social practices of the Mizos and of their customary/personal law which is specifically protected by constitutional provision, the said proposal of the NDA government at the centre as can be seen in the Law commission notice cannot be accepted,” Zoramthanga said in his letter.
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He said that MNF is a member of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and is in support of the policies and programs of the NDA government at the centre as long as those policies and programs are found to be beneficial for the public at large and particularly for the ethnic minorities in the country.
The Chief Minister also informed the Law Commission that the Mizoram assembly had passed an official resolution opposing any steps taken or proposed to be taken for the enactment of UCC in the country on February 14.
The said resolution was moved, discussed and thereafter unanimously adopted by the state assembly for the reasons that the UCC, if enacted, “would disintegrate the country as it was an attempt to terminate the religious or social practices, customary laws, culture and traditions of the religious minorities, including the Mizos,” he said.
Zoramthanga further said that article 371(G) of the constitution, which is the byproduct of the Mizoram peace accord signed in 1986, states that no act of Parliament in respect of religious or social practices of the Mizos, Mizo customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Mizo customary law, ownership and transfer of land, shall apply to Mizoram unless the state legislature by a resolution so decides.
Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee, a conglomerate of church leaders’ committees, also wrote to the Union Law Commission citing it strongly opposed to its implementation in the country.
The committee also appealed to the Centre to suspend any efforts to implement the controversial law.
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The committee said in its letter that the UCC is detrimental to the unity in diversity of Indian culture, religions and customs and is undeniably undermining the rights and privileges of minority (Mizos) enshrined in Article 371(G) of the constitution.
It said that the UCC is not applicable to Mizoram due to the constitutional provision enshrined in Article 371 (G).
Last month, the Law Commission issued a notice soliciting views from the public on the contentious issue of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).