PNS | DEHRADUN
The Congress organised a protest against the certain provisions of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and the installation of prepaid smart meters of Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) on the third day of the ongoing Vidhan Sabha budget session in Dehradun on Thursday.
The Congress State president Karan Mahara and Mahila Congress State head Jyoti Rautela, along with several senior leaders and their supporters gathered near Hotel Him Palace on Haridwar Road before proceeding towards the Vidhan Sabha building, carrying placards and raising slogans against the government.
Addressing the gathering, Mahara stated that the inclusion of live-in relationship provisions in the UCC goes against the cultural values of Uttarakhand. He alleged that the government aims to use the UCC to facilitate the settlement of outsiders in the State by granting them residency after a year of stay. He also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party for failing to control migration from Uttarakhand and claimed that such provisions could lead to social issues. Mahara further accused the BJP of not addressing concerns related to Article 44 of the Constitution, which deals with the directive principle of UCC. He said that despite Congress raising questions about the provisions, BJP leaders had not provided any clear responses. He also alleged that the BJP, while claiming to uphold religious traditions, was acting against them.
Regarding the installation of prepaid smart meters, Mahara claimed that the government was imposing them on residents to benefit private businesses. He argued that people were already struggling with high electricity bills from previously installed electronic meters and that the new system will further burden them. Congress demanded an immediate halt to the prepaid meter project.
Rautela stated that UCC is a matter of the centre government but the State government has been misleading the public. She criticised the inclusion of live-in relationship provisions, claiming that they threatened the State’s cultural identity. She also argued that such provisions pose risks to women’s safety. Rautela stated that Congress will continue to oppose the UCC both inside and outside the assembly and demanded that the government revoke the law.
