Nagaland, July 7: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured a delegation of Nagaland government officials, led by chief minister Neiphiu Rio, that the Centre is actively considering exempting Christians and certain tribal areas from the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
On Wednesday(July 5), a 12-member delegation from Nagaland met Amit Shah and apprised him on the apprehensions surrounding the proposal for a UCC and serious repercussions it would have especially in the context of Nagaland which is a Christian state and where the Article 371 (A) of the Constitution guarantees religious practices.
The Uniform Civil Code has been a prominent issue in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s manifesto, yet it remains to be implemented.
Recently, there has been a surge of momentum around the UCC, with the Law Commission seeking feedback on the proposed code and receiving an overwhelming response of nearly 2 million replies.
Additionally, a committee appointed by Uttarakhand has finalized a draft of the UCC, which will soon be submitted to the state. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed support for the UCC, opposition parties and various religious and tribal groups have raised concerns about its implications.
Commenting on the ongoing Naga the peace talks, the delegation said it has put across to Central leaders that the protracted Naga political issue should be resolved and settled at the earliest as it has been dragging on for “an unreasonable period of time” .
The delegation also discussed the Centre’s proposal for the formation of an autonomous council called the Frontier Naga Territory, which would encompass six eastern districts of Nagaland. This proposal was put forth in response to the demand for a separate state by the Eastern Nagaland Peoples Organization (ENPO).
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