Amid concerns in the Sikh community over the proposal for a uniform civil code, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann has diverged from his party's stand on the issue.
PTI quoted the AAP leader as telling reporters in Chandigarh on Tuesday: “You (BJP) want the bouquet of only one colour. Each religion has its own culture and customs… It is the agenda of the BJP. Whenever elections are near, they start speaking about religion. The AAP does not interfere in religion as it is a secular party.”
Mann’s statement goes against his party’s consistent, “in principle” support for the UCC that it uses to distinguish itself from the Congress. The AAP considers the grand old party as pseudo-secular. This has been the calling card of the AAP in its attempt to attract urbane voters from both the BJP and the Congress.
During the Gujarat election campaign last year, the party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal had said: “Article 44 of the Constitution clearly states that it is the responsibility of the government to prepare a uniform civil code. The government should prepare a uniform civil code but with the consent of all the communities.”
This statement was reiterated last week by MP Sandeep Pathak, who is AAP’s national general secretary (organisation).
An AAP source explained: “The Akalis have taken a clear stand against the UCC and we are nervous about alienating the panthic (religious Sikh) voters. That’s why Bhagwant Ji has taken a more clear stand on the UCC. Although we support the principle of a common code, there is awareness that the BJP is misusing this as a divisive tool and not a welfare measure.”
Chandigarh-based political researcher Jatinder Singh told The Telegraph: “There is a strong sentiment among the Sikhs against the UCC which is seen as yet another way for the Centre to suppress the Sikhs and impose the one nation, one language, one culture idea. Since the Centre hasn’t come out with any draft, suspicions against the UCC have strengthened.”
Former BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal’s leader Daljit Cheema has accused the AAP of trying to mislead voters by its doublespeak.