Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Wednesday contested the Prime Minister’s argument in favour of a uniform civil code, saying the family cannot be equated with the country and expressing fears that such an arrangement would only deepen the divisions that have riven the society under BJP rule.

“The Hon'ble PM has equated a Nation to a Family while pitching for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). While in an abstract sense his comparison may appear true, the reality is very different. A family is knit together by blood relationships. A nation is brought together by a Constitution which is a political-legal document. Even in a family, there is diversity. The Constitution of India recognised diversity and plurality among the people of India,” Chidambaram, a former Union minister, tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said on Tuesday: “Aaj kal hum dekh rahe hain ki uniform civil code ke naam par Musalmano ko bhadkane ka kaam ho raha hai. Aap mujhe bataiye, ek ghar mein parivar ke ek sadasya ke liye ek kanoon ho, doosre sadasya ke liye doosra kanoon ho, toh kya wo ghar chal payega kua? Kabhi bhi chal payega kya? Fir aisi dohri vyawastha se desh kaise chal payega?"

A translation: "We see today that attempts are being made to instigate Muslims in the name of the uniform civil code. You tell me, if there is one law for one member of the family and another law for another member, will that family be able to run? Will that be possible? Then how can the country run with two rules?”

While there can be diversity in individual choices within a family, members don’t usually follow different religions, languages, cultures, social norms and matrimonial codes. A uniform civil code will not only affect citizens following different religions but also those within the Hindu society because of different cultural traditions in states, castes and social strata, many believe. The tribal culture, for instance, is entirely different from what is practised in an urban Hindu family.

Chidambaram tweeted: “A Uniform Civil Code is an aspiration. It cannot be forced on the people by an agenda-driven majoritarian Government. The Prime Minister is making it appear that UCC is a simple exercise. He should read the report of the last Law Commission that pointed out it was not feasible at this time.”

Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh had also said that the Law Commission’s fresh attempt to seek opinion on the UCC after it concluded in 2018 that it was not desirable "at this stage" showed the Modi government’s desperation to polarise the society along religious lines.

Chidambaram said: “The nation is divided today owing to the words and deeds of the BJP. A UCC imposed on the people will only widen the divisions. The Prime Minister’s strong pitch for the UCC is intended to divert attention from inflation, unemployment, hate crimes, discrimination and denying States’ rights. The people must be vigilant. Having failed in good governance, the BJP is deploying the UCC to polarise the electorate and attempt to win the next elections.”

The 21st Law Commission appointed by the Modi government had said in 2018: “While diversity of Indian culture can and should be celebrated, specific groups, or weaker sections of society must not be dis-privileged in the process. Resolution of this conflict does not mean abolition of all differences. This Commission has therefore dealt with laws that are discriminatory rather than providing a uniform civil code which is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage. Most countries are now moving towards recognition of difference and the mere existence of difference does not imply discrimination, but is indicative of a robust democracy.”