Congress leader Jairam Ramesh launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his comments on the “communal civil code” during his Independence Day address, calling the statement an insult to Dr. BR Ambedkar. Ramesh emphasized that Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, was a staunch advocate for reforms in Hindu personal law, which became a reality in the mid-1950s despite opposition from the RSS and Jan Sangh.
Ramesh criticized the Prime Minister in a post on X, stating, “The non-biological PM’s capacity for malice, mischief, and maligning history knows no bounds. To say that we have had a ‘communal civil code’ till now is a gross insult to Dr. Ambedkar, who championed reforms in Hindu personal laws.”
He also referenced the 2018 report of the 21st Law Commission, appointed by the BJP-led NDA government, which found that implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) was “neither necessary nor desirable at this stage.” Quoting the report, Ramesh highlighted that diversity in Indian culture should be celebrated, and differences should not automatically be viewed as discrimination but as a sign of a robust democracy.
During his Independence Day speech, PM Modi argued that the current Civil Code in the country is discriminatory and resembles a “communal civil code.” He emphasized the need to transition to a “secular civil code” that would ensure equality and remove religion-based discrimination.
“A large section of the country believes, and there is truth in this, that the civil code we are living with is actually a communal civil code, a discriminatory civil code,” the Prime Minister said. He further called for a nationwide discussion on the issue and suggested that it is time for India to embrace a secular civil code, free from religious bias.
The exchange marks another chapter in the ongoing debate surrounding the Uniform Civil Code, a contentious issue that continues to polarize political discourse in India.
