‘Meghalaya will support if there is a bill to introduce matrilineal system
Shillong, Jan 30: Ending speculations and apprehensions about Uniform Civil Code (UCC), chief minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday assured that the government has no plan to implement UCC in the state, but acknowledged some positive aspects of the Code.
“For us, as a state government, we are very clear: the Uniform Civil Code is not on our agenda. We respect the diverse identities of our tribal communities, and their traditional practices must be protected,” the chief minister told reporters here on Thursday.
Terming implementation of UCC as neither practical nor appropriate, given the country’s diverse cultural and tribal communities, he said, “A Uniform Civil Code, as a concept of making sure that everything becomes uniform, is not possible in India.”
Pointing out the numerous tribal and indigenous communities with unique practices that may not align with “uniformity”, he said, “To impose uniformity on every aspect of life, across all communities, would not be correct.”
However, he acknowledged that certain aspects of civil laws could be made uniform while protecting the rights of indigenous communities.
Referring to Uttarakhand, which became the first state to implement UCC while excluding tribal customs from its purview, Sangma said, “If a bill at the national or state level were to declare that the entire country should adopt a matrilineal system, Meghalaya would support that, because we are a matrilineal society. It all depends on the content of the bill—what aspects are being made uniform and in what way.”
The chief minister’s statement bears significance amid growing discussions about UCC following the move to introduce it by Uttarakhand government, and especially the neighbouring NDA-ruled Assam government expressing its interest to follow suit.
