Defence Minister Rajnath Singh revealed that Uttarakhand is poised to become the first state in India to implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The implementation of a UCC in Uttarakhand was a ‘promise’ made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the state assembly elections of 2022.
During the “Uttarayani Kauthik” program in Lucknow, Rajnath Singh expressed his optimism, stating, “I think if some state is going to become the first in implementing a uniform civil code, it will be Uttarakhand.” However, he did not provide further details on the matter.
Following the BJP’s victory and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s re-election, the state government approved the formation of a committee, headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, to draft the Uniform Civil Code. This decision was made in the first cabinet meeting under Dhami’s leadership.
Addressing the audience, Rajnath Singh praised Uttarakhand’s progress, saying, “Uttarakhand is not only the land of gods and brave people but is now also being recognized as the land of development. The state has made remarkable progress in the last five years.”
Reflecting on the relationship between Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Singh highlighted the amicable coexistence between the two states. He mentioned that, unlike some other state divisions, the separation of Uttarakhand from Uttar Pradesh did not lead to bitterness. Singh said that even a decade after the creation of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, there are lingering issues between the two states, while Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have maintained strong and harmonious ties.
“The relations between Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand remained so lively that despite all the pending issues, there was no discord between the people living in the two states. Rather the ties kept getting stronger,” he added.
