Mumbai: Veteran lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar has weighed in on the debate over the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), questioning those who oppose the idea in India while seeking to send their children to countries such as the US and UK.
His remarks have sparked a discussion online, with social media users offering differing views on the proposed common civil framework.
Akhtar pointed out that people who seek to settle in countries like the US and UK sometimes support living under common legal frameworks there while opposing the idea of a UCC in India.
The comments come as the UCC remains a subject of political and social debate in India.
The proposed code concerns common rules in areas of personal law such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption.
Soon after Akhtar’s remarks, the comments section was flooded with reactions.
One user wrote, “First of all what are the subjects covered under UCC. Can the govt publish a white paper. Let there be widespread discussion among all sections of society and let some broad consensus be there. UCC is for integration not for dividing the society.”
Another wrote, “The observation of Mr. Javed Akhtar is unbiased and impartial. But the problem is that we have different rules for different categories in fields like education, job recruitment, concessions/subsidies, etc. If we do not gradually settle these issues in a fully secular manner mainly based on financial background and simultaneously extending social aspects wherever inevitable, such inequalities may continue.”
A third user wrote, “The Uniform Civil Code should apply to all Indians, including the Tribals community. No one should be exempted.”
Another commented, “Uniform Civil Code applicable to all Indians irrespective of caste, creed, religion etc. No exemption at any point.”
Meanwhile, the UCC debate continues to involve questions around legal uniformity, religious freedom and cultural practices.
Akhtar had previously said in a 2023 interview that he supported the idea of a UCC “in principle” but noted the practical difficulties of implementing it in a country as diverse as India.
