Dimapur, November 21 : The Angami Baptist Church Council (ABCC) said a Uniform Civil Code which contradicts the beliefs and practices of the Christians will not be acceptable.
“If it fails to take into consideration the feelings of the minorities, particularly the Naga Christians, then it will further distant us in our already estranged relationship,” Rev. Dr. V. Atsi Dolie, executive director, ABCC, said in a letter to the chairman of Law Commission of India on Monday.
Thanking the Law Commission for inviting opinions and views on Uniform Civil Code, the ABCC said the ‘appeal’ is seen to be intended to find ways "to address discrimination against vulnerable groups and harmonise the various cultural practices" with special focus on family laws. As the Law Commission stated, the ABCC noted, it is to ensure that "the norms of no one class, group or community dominate the tone or tenor of family law reforms."
While appreciating the intention, the ABCC cautioned that the outcome of a Uniform Civil Code can be devastating because of the complexity of cultures and practices in India.
“Just to cite an example, a triple talaq may be sufficient for divorce for certain group of people, but the Christian group I represent has no provision for divorce — the vow is ‘till death do us part’. You will understand very well that to arrive at a uniform law in such case is practically impossible,” Rev. Dolie said in a letter.
Maintaining that the effort to bring a Uniform Civil Code is too idealistic and far from being practical, he said: “In the event a Uniform Civil Code is formulated by imposing the dominant group's cultural and religious practices then it will exactly defeat the purpose it hopes to achieve.”
