Uniform Civil Code: In the suggestions and objections sought by the 22nd Law Commission on the Uniform Civil Code, the forest dwellers have also lodged their objections before the commission. The question is, will the concerns of the forest dwellers, a large community of Hindus, increase due to the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code? The increasing protest against the Uniform Civil Code by the forest dwellers in the North-Eastern states including Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh is indicating the same thing.
In fact, two weeks ago, the Law Commission had sought opinion from public and religious organizations on Uniform Civil Code in the country, for which 30 days time was given, but recently, in the meeting of booth workers in Bhopal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a proposal for Uniform Civil Code. Re-politicize this burning issue by advocatingAnd has been brought to the center of social discussion.
Expressing concern over the dual system running the country, he said that some groups are creating confusion on this issue. India currently has different laws in matters of marriage, divorce, succession and adoption among different communities based on their religion, faith and belief. After the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code, the same law will apply to everyone in India irrespective of religion, gender and sexual orientation.
But whenever the question of Uniform Civil Code has come up in India, there has been social, religious and political opposition to it. Till now, the country’s second largest community, the Muslim community, rejects the Uniform Civil Code on religious grounds. Although Shia Muslims are also in favor of uniform civil code among Muslims, but due to their political inclination towards Bharatiya Janata Party, the majority Sunni Muslim society does not give importance to them. Some similar concerns are also of other religious groups and sects, but now voices are being heard from the Hindu side also against the Uniform Civil Code. Especially the Vanvasi Samaj, whose political power no political party can deny.
Forest dwellers own laws, constitutional rights and beliefs
Amidst the hue and cry about Uniform Civil Code, the fact that if it becomes a law, the tribal customary law, Chota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) and Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Acts, Wilkinson Rules, PESA Act, Rules of the Fifth Schedule Area, Marriage and Divorce Laws of the Forest DwellersWhat will happen?Apart from this, many rules and regulations of the Vanvasi society have not been handwritten till date, but they are acceptable to the larger society. Under Vanvasi customary law, women are not given the right to ancestral land after marriage. Forest land has rights under CNT and SPT. Polygamy is practiced in Naga tribes, Baiga, Lushai and Gond tribes etc. Apart from this, polyandry is prevalent in many communities from Kashmir to Assam like Tian, Toda, Ladakhi Bota, Rota and Khasa. In the tribal society of South India, there is a practice of marriage with relatives.
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