Abhishek Vij
On the occasion of the BJP’s 47th Foundation Day, it was made clear that the ongoing campaign for change in the country will not halt. A significant aspect of this agenda for change remains unfinished, and a major objective has yet to be realized: the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code across a nation characterized by diverse castes and social orders.
Furthermore, in a country as vast as ours—where elections are held sometimes at the central level and sometimes at the state level—the concept of “One Nation, One Election” should be realized to avoid the periodic wastage of time, energy, and financial resources. Admittedly, this concept remains a subject of considerable debate. Religious fundamentalism and practical difficulties currently stand as obstacles in its path; however, these issues warrant serious deliberation today so that, should this agenda be successfully implemented, our India—painted with the vibrant hues of various castes and religions—may truly emerge as an undivided and cohesive nation. Mr. Modi asserted that violence and radicalism must not be allowed to become part of our political culture.
The government’s mission should be service, and its ultimate goal should be the nation’s progress; if the country is to become developed and self-reliant, significant strides can be made through the implementation of “One Nation, One Election” and a Uniform Civil Code. Let us reflect briefly on these objectives: the “One Nation, One Election” system proposes holding elections for both the State Legislative Assemblies and the Lok Sabha simultaneously. There are, however, certain practical objections raised against this proposal. Critics argue that this proposition is impractical because, in this country, elections do not strictly occur only once every five years.
The idea of implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) has long featured prominently on the agenda of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Now, while celebrating the BJP’s 47th anniversary, Mr. Modi has reiterated this commitment once again. It is worth noting that, given the diversity of castes and religions within this country, the objective is to standardize the majority of laws—ranging from those governing marriage to those concerning child adoption—so that they apply uniformly to all citizens. Having declared our Constitution to be secular, the ideal scenario would indeed be the existence of a single, uniform set of laws. However, the ground reality is quite different; our nation has remained divided along lines of caste and religion for centuries.
Even the caste census that has recently commenced will categorize individuals into distinct brackets based on their respective castes and religions. Those belonging to the Dalit community, for instance, will be entitled to the benefits of reservation. Do not these separate categories of caste and religion, in themselves, serve to reinforce distinct identities? The ultimate goal should be for every citizen to contribute toward the establishment of an idealistic society. The commitment to this ideal, expressed by the BJP on the occasion of its 47th anniversary, speaks precisely to this objective