PNBA Senapati opposes proposed enactment of UCC
Source: The Sangai Express
Senapati, July 06 2023:
The Poumai Naga Baptist Association (PNBA) Senapati District Manipur has strongly opposed the proposed enactment of Uniform Civil Code.
PNBA Senapati declared their stance in response to a public notice issued by the Law Commission of India inviting views and opinions of the public and recognized religious organisations regarding the UCC.
Stating that PNBA Senapati District held a meeting at its office in Purul under Senapati district on July 1 to discuss the applicability of the UCC in the Poumai Naga society, it declared its opposition while asserting that as Christians they are governed by the Biblical Canon on the subject related to marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and succession.
PNBA Senapati District in fact went on to say that the objective of having UCC is to directly undermine the Christian faith and belief.
It added that as a Scheduled Tribe with their own distinct traditional, social and customary practices governed by the Naga Customary Law, thus implementing the UCC will adversely affect the Naga Customary Laws existing since time immemorial.
Further, it expressed apprehension as part of the Christian community while stressing that once the proposed UCC is codified, it will directly infringe upon the citizens right to freedom of religion guaranteed under Article 25-28 of the Constitution of India.
PNBA Senapati District maintained that the UCC is against the basic structure of the Indian Constitution and the principle of secularism.
Adding that Article 44 contained in Part IV of the Constitution is a directive principle and thus only an enabling provision and not mandatory.
Therefore it cannot be imposed upon the citizens while trying to codify the UCC, it said.
Thus PNBA Senapati District has requested the Law Commission of India not to proceed with the proposed UCC.