The largely tribe-based allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party have taken a stand against the bid to impose the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
A day after the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) aired its “strong and firm opinion” against the UCC, the National People’s Party (NPP) said a common set of personal laws on marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, and succession would be against the idea of India.
The NDPP and NPP are the dominant allies of the BJP in Nagaland and Meghalaya respectively.
‘Diverse nation’
“India is a diverse nation characterised by unity in diversity. Our party believes that the UCC would be against the very idea of India,” Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, also the NPP’s national president, said on Friday.
Also read | Meghalaya tribal council resolves to oppose UCC
He cited the example of the three major communities – Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia – of Meghalaya, which are matrilineal.
“Matriliny has been the strength of our culture and that cannot be changed,” he said, pointing out that he would be in a better position to dissect the UCC if he gets access to its draft.
