Q.2) “Uniform Civil Code is essential to promote national harmony.” Critically analyse.

Article 44 of the Constitution of India seeks to provide Uniform Civil Code to all its citizens.

The objective of this article is to address the differences and promote harmony among different sections of the society.

Uniform Civil Code is a generic set of personal laws for all its citizens irrespective of their religion.

It is essential to promote national harmony in the following ways:

1) Social Justice:  it promotes justice for all by creating a uniformity of personal laws for citizens across cultural diversity.

2) Gender equality: it helps in creating an egalitarian society where women have rights at par with men. Their rights do not compromised due to religious customs and laws.

3) Unity and brotherhood: As enshrined in the Preamble of our constitution and which is also in the “Basic Structure”, it helps preserve the values.

4) Secular character of India: Uniform civil code with help with the secular nature of our country, which does not form any bias or does not favour any religion or religious practices.

However, as said by Dr. BR Ambedkar during the Constituent Assembly debates, probably the time is still not right to introduce the code yet in the country.

Also, the 21st Law Commission report on Uniform Civil Code says the following:

1. Differences does not necessarily correspond to discrimination.

2. Uniformity is not desirable at this moment.

What is the need of the hour is probably not UCC, but awareness and proactive role of the masses to address the shortcoming within their ethnic groups.