'Of the country, for the country': PM Modi says Uniform Civil Code is a necessity

In a candid interview, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the contentious topic of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) with a fervour that mirrored the complexity of the issue itself. With a measured tone and a fervent desire to set the record straight, PM Modi embarked on a journey through history, highlighting the misconceptions and misunderstandings that have plagued the discussions surrounding the UCC.

Talking exclusively to AajTak, PM Modi pointed out that when it comes to UCC, the issue itself is replete with serious misunderstandings and false narratives, with one being that the implementation of UCC would lead to the death of diversity in the country.

And drawing upon a powerful example close to home, PM Modi pointed to the state of Goa as a beacon of UCC implementation within the diverse fabric of India. "You should also do your homework but at least this country has an example. Goa has UCC. Tell me, do the people of Goa wear the same type of clothes? Do the people of Goa eat the same type of food? What a joke this is."

With a nod to legal precedent, PM Modi emphasised the repeated calls from the highest echelons of India's judiciary for the implementation of the UCC. "The Supreme Court of India has said at least two dozen times to bring UCC in this country," he said.

Reflecting on a poignant moment from his past, Modi recounted an encounter during his Ekta Yatra that underscored the need for a unified legal framework. "I remember that when I went on the Ekta Yatra... I was very junior. So I was going there, all the children were studying in one of our schools. I said stop the chariot, let's talk, so I went to talk to the children."

As Modi engaged with the children, their intuitive grasp of fairness and equality struck a chord. "I had asked ten questions, [and about UCC], those children said [that] it should definitely be done. And these were the children of the eighth class. What the children of my country understand, the country's leaders do not understand," PM Modi noted.

But the PM also touched upon the role of media in shaping public discourse and lamented over the proliferation of false narratives and the responsibility of media houses to uphold truth. "It is the irresponsible behavior of the media houses of this country that gives strength to such wrong narratives," he said.

With a nod to India's founding principles, Modi reaffirmed the constitutional imperative for progress towards a UCC. "This is of the country, for the country, it is not a matter of any political party, it is written in the constitution of the country that India should move in that direction."

In a final flourish, Modi invoked the spirit of the Constituent Assembly and the vision for a unified India, pointing out that the need and demand for UCC came in the Constituent Assembly itself.