Now Reading: Chhattisgarh to exempt Scheduled Tribes from Uniform Civil Code
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Chhattisgarh to exempt Scheduled Tribes from Uniform Civil Code
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said on Friday that Chhattisgarh's proposed Uniform Civil Code will apply to all communities except Scheduled Tribes, who will continue to be governed by their traditional customs.…
The Story in Brief
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said on Friday that Chhattisgarh's proposed Uniform Civil Code will apply to all communities except Scheduled Tribes, who will continue to be governed by their traditional customs. The UCC bill is expected to be introduced in the winter session of the state assembly. A five-member committee headed by retired Justice Ranjana Desai is gathering public suggestions until October 15 before preparing the draft.
Congress state president Deepak Baij countered that the BJP government is keeping tribals out of the UCC only because of the opposition's pressure, not out of respect for tribal rights. Baij, pointing to the 32 per cent tribal population, alleged the real aim is to weaken the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act and allow industrialists to access tribal land and resources. He warned that tribals will protest if the government does not clearly state whether they will be excluded from the final code.
The Indian Opinion
The UCC debate in Chhattisgarh has predictably split along party lines, with the BJP government framing the tribal exemption as protecting tradition and the Congress accusing it of a hidden agenda to open tribal lands to industry. Both sides stretch the truth: the government has not yet tabled any bill, making the Congress's claim of a land grab premature, while the BJP's talk of shielding customs ignores that tribal communities themselves are divided on the UCC. The real test will be the committee's draft and whether it actually strengthens or weakens PESA and gram sabha powers.
Sources (2): timesnownews.com, indiatoday.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
