Cong minister in Himachal extends support to UCC, but questions BJP over timing

Shimla, July 1 (IANS) A first-timer Congress minister in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday extended support to Uniform Civil Code (UCC), but questioned the BJP over its timing.

“We have said that whenever Uniform Civil Code comes, we will support it. Congress has always contributed towards taking unity and integrity forward,” PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh told the media here.

“But the main issue at present is Manipur, which has been burning for nearly two months and is on the verge of a civil war. No action has been taken against the Manipur Chief Minister,” said Singh, the son of six-time Chief Minister late Virbhadra Singh.

Without mincing words, Singh added, “The BJP doesn’t speak of the burning issues in the country and starts a new debate to mislead the people.”

He said that raking the UCC issue is a deliberate effort to divert the attention of the people from the core issues such as unemployment and falling growth rate.

Singh said the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has been in power with full majority for the past nine years, but did not initiate any action for implementing the UCC earlier.

“It’s now trying to trigger a debate on this issue for electoral gains,” he said.

Singh also said that on previous occasions too, the BJP had raised issues such as the Pulwama terror attack, scrapping of Article 370 and Ram temple to seek votes.