Sunday, 04 February 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The decision of the Uttarakhand government to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the State and the homework done on the subject so far by the chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has increased his stature in the national politics and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). With the Dhami government deciding to table the UCC bill in the Vidhan Sabha on February 6 and the resolve of the State government to get it passed and implement UCC as early as possible in the State, Uttarakhand is all set to become first State of the country other than Goa to have UCC. The other BJP ruled States and the BJP-led NDA government in the Centre are likely to follow the footsteps of Uttarakhand on UCC.
The draft of the UCC bill will surely become the template on which the Union government and other States can base their UCC law. The importance of the leading role taken by up by CM Dhami on UCC can be understood from the fact that right from the Jan Sangh days, three issues, the abolition of article 370, construction of a majestic Ram temple in Ayodhya and implementation of UCC were on the top of agenda of the BJP and Sangh Parivar. The article 370 which gave special status to the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked by the government of India on August 6, 2019.
Similarly with the consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22 this year, the second major agenda of BJP was fulfilled. With the BJP government in Uttarakhand led by CM Dhami taking decisive steps for implementing the UCC in the State the third agenda of saffron politics will be achieved. Dhami has already endeared himself to the saffron camp by undertaking a drive to demolish illegal Madarsas and bringing a law to check religious conversions in the State. These steps coupled with the UCC decision have increased his stature in the BJP and in national politics.
Political experts are of the opinion that Dhami has made his position strong in the state BJP and at present no leader is in a position to pose an internal challenge to the young CM. This position is important since there are at least half a dozen senior leaders in the BJP including former chief ministers who are considered as the challengers to the incumbent CM.
