Pawar seeks ‘clarity’ on UCC, raises demand of quota for women in Parliament, state legislatures

The law commission has so far received more than 900 suggestions on the UCC, Pawar told reporters here

Pune: Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday said his party will decide its stand on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) after the government clarifies certain things, and also made a pitch for reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures.

He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for targeting Opposition leaders including NCP MP and his daughter Supriya Sule, and said the PM seemed to have been disturbed by the Opposition’s recent meeting in Patna.

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The law commission has so far received more than 900 suggestions on the UCC, Pawar told reporters here, referring to Modi recently batting for the uniform code.

The stand of communities like the Sikhs, Jains and Christians should be ascertained, the NCP chief said, adding that he had learnt that the Sikh community had a different view.

“They are not in the mood to support the UCC…..so taking a decision on UCC without the cognizance of the Sikh community (its views) would not be appropriate,” Pawar said.

The NCP will decide its stand after the PM provides clarity on some issues, he added.

But it was also possible that the UCC issue was being raised to divert attention as there is resentment among the people about those who are in power, the NCP chief said.

At the national level meeting of NCP office-bearers in Delhi on Wednesday, some party leaders said that before taking up the UCC issue, the Union government should take decision on giving reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, Pawar said.

“When I was the CM of the state (Maharashtra), we gave 33 percent reservation to women in local body elections, and later it was increased to 50 percent. After that the decision was replicated at the national level. Now we insist that a similar reservation policy for women should be adopted in (state) legislatures and Parliament,” the NCP chief added.

“If Modi ji is ready to take lead on this stand, we, despite having small numbers, would support his stand,” he added.

As the BJP was not sure what will happen in the coming elections, the prime minister made some statements which did not befit his post, Pawar said.

“For example, the remarks he made against my party…he said if you (people) want to promote Supriya Sule, you can vote for the NCP,” he said.

Sule got elected as MP thrice on her own and her performance in the Lok Sabha has won praise, Pawar said.

“An institution which studies the performance of MPs has given an award to Sule eight times, so irrespective of what the PM says, people vote for her multiple times. That is why the PM’s statement is inappropriate, and he should not make such a statement against an MP,” he added.

Modi was in the US when the Opposition parties met in Patna, he said.

“It seems that after he got details of the meeting, his restlessness increased, and he started making these personal attacks…. next meeting of the Opposition would take place in Bengaluru on July 13 and 14 where we would discuss how to face the elections and how to face the increased communalism in the states,” Pawar said.

Women’s safety in Maharashtra was a major issue, the NCP chief said.

“Day by day, attacks on women are increasing….As many as 2,458 girls and women went missing from Pune, Thane, Mumbai and Solapur cities in the last six months. Instead of doing unnecessary things, the home minister (Devendra Fadnavis) should make efforts to find these women and reunite them with their families,” he said.