Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (RJP)

Mangaluru, Dec 18: "By implementing Uniform Civil Code, all the religions can enjoy the same privileges and thereby an enhanced national unity can be achieved," opined Farah Faiz, the advocate who moved the Supreme Court seeking an end to the practice of triple Talaq.

Farah Faiz, who is also the national honorary president of the Rashtrawadi Muslim Mahila Sangh, was speaking at a seminar on 'Uniform Civil Code for National Unity' at Sangha Niketana here on Saturday, December 17. The event was organized by the city unit of Citizens' Council.

"Uniform Civil Code conforms to Quranic teachings. There should not be any doubt about it. The Indian Constitution, as per article 44, allows and justifies uniform law in the whole nation which has many states. Muslim religious rights and privileges are safeguarded by articles 25 and 26 of the Indian Constitution," Faiz added.

"Polygamy was introduced with the noble intention of allowing widows to get remarried. But the people took it as a license to marry four times. Later triple talaq was incorporated," Faiz said.

"Personal laws came into existence during the rule of British. Many a social reformer demanded that these laws should be amended. And accordingly many changes were made in Hindu personal law subsequently. Though property rights were denied to the Hindu woman earlier, with revolutionary changes later, these rights were accorded to her. But no such amendments were made in the Shariat law. I am confident that, if Uniform Civil Code is enforced, women can really benefit from it," Faiz concluded.

Chakravarthy Sulibele, mentor of Yuva Brigade, said, "We should come out of the clutches of fundamentalists and admit that we are all one and equal. Only Uniform Civil Code can introduce equality and root out fundamentalism from the society. This may affect all communities including Muslims to a small extent for a greater good. But we all need to accept the changes for the better future of all the people.

"Women and men are living with equal rights in Hindu and Christian societies. Muslim women should also be treated equally with men. If Hindus had objected to Hindu code bill, there would have been problems. But they have accepted it overwhelmingly. Muslims should also support Uniform Civil Code, so that women can stand at par with men in the future," Sulibele added.

Sunil Achar and Vikram Nayak from Citizens' Council welcomed and compered, respectively.