IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, March 15: A high-level delegation of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), an ally of the coalition government of Congress in the poll-bound Kerala, met President of India Pranab Mukherjee here on Monday seeking repeal of the Article 44 of the Constitution which urges the state to enforce Uniform Civil Code. The delegation submitted a memorandum which, it claimed, was signed by about one crore people.
The Article 44 of the Constitution of India says: The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a ‘UNIFORM CIVIL CODE’ throughout the territory of India.
This provision is “totally contradictory to fundamental rights and duties enshrined in our Constitution,” said IUML in a statement.
The delegation was headed by national president of the party and former Union Minister E. Ahamed. Other members of the delegation were: E.T. Mohamed Basheer (MP), P.V. Abdul Wahab (MP), and Prof. Kader Mohideen (Ex-MP).
“per contra Article- 44 of our Constitution of India says that “The State shall endeavor to secure for the citizens a ‘UNIFORM CIVIL CODE’ throughout the territory of India” which is totally contradictory to the above stated fundamental rights and duties enshrined in our Constitution,” they said in the memorandum.
After the meeting, the delegation said that they have requested the president to initiate steps to repeal the article 44 of the constitution.
“To save our Constitution of India, to defend the fundamental rights of our citizens, to protect the rich traditions of unity and integrity of this nation, and to maintain the communal amity and brotherhood of our people, the delegation has requested the Hon’ble President to initiate appropriate steps to repeal Article 44 of the Constitution of India by amending the same suitably,” they further said.
Arguing against the uniform civil code, the memorandum reads “The preamble of the Constitution of India declares the freedom to every citizen to follow his conscience, beliefs and worships. Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India confer upon every citizen the fundamental right to freely profess, practice and propagate the religion of his own choice and for administration of such religious institutions. Article 51-A confers a fundamental duty to every citizen “to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities”.
