Guwahati, May 27 (IANS) Lone Trinamool Congress MLA, Sherman Ali Ahmed, in Assam on Wednesday staged a walk-out from the Assam Assembly during the discussion on the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, accusing the BJP-led NDA government of introducing the legislation with what he termed a “malicious intention”.
Participating in the debate on UCC Bill in the ongoing Assembly session, Ahmed said he agreed with certain provisions of the draft legislation, including fixing the minimum age of marriage and introducing legal regulations for live-in relationships.
However, he objected to several clauses which, according to him, violated constitutional safeguards and religious principles.
“The government has brought this Bill with malicious intention, and as a mark of protest, I am walking out of the House,” Ahmed said before leaving the Assembly chamber.
The Assam government had tabled the UCC Bill on Monday, proposing a common civil framework governing matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, succession and live-in relationships, irrespective of religion.
The proposed legislation seeks to ban polygamy and make registration of live-in relationships mandatory.
Under the draft Bill, offences related to bigamy or polygamy could attract punishment of up to seven years’ imprisonment, while failure to register a live-in relationship may invite a jail term of up to three months.
Ahmed questioned the exclusion of Scheduled Tribes residing in Assam from the ambit of the proposed law, arguing that such exemptions contradicted the concept of a “uniform” civil code.
“If the law is truly uniform, then why are tribals being excluded?” he asked during his speech in the House.
The Trinamool legislator also contended that some provisions relating to marriage were inconsistent with teachings in the Quran. He claimed that Islamic principles concerning multiple marriages were often “misinterpreted” in public discourse.
“The Quran and what is written in it are paramount and should not be violated,” Ahmed said.
Stating that he was initially willing to support the UCC, Ahmed, however, maintained that wider consultations were necessary before implementing such legislation.
“The government cannot introduce a law violating Fundamental Rights by taking shelter under the Directive Principles of State Policy,” he said, adding that no electoral mandate could supersede constitutional provisions.
–IANS
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