Gross insult to BR Ambedkar, says Congress on PM Modi’s ’communal civil code’ remarks during Independence Day speech

The Congress on Thursday took exception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ‘communal civil code’ remark, saying it was a ‘gross insult’ to BR Ambedkar. Referring to Modi's remarks during the Independence Day speech, the Congress alleged that the PM's capacity for ‘maligning’ of history was on full display while he spoke from the Red Fort for the record 11th time.

The Congress party's reaction came soon after PM Modi pitched for a ‘secular civil code’ in the country since the existing set of laws was a ‘communal civil code’ and discriminatory.

In his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Modi said, "A large section of the country believes, which is true also, that the civil code is actually in a way is a communal civil code. It discriminates (among people)."

"The non-biological PM's capacity for malice, mischief, and maligning of history knows no bounds. It was on full display today from the Red Fort," Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said reacting to PM Modi's remarks.

"To say that we have had a 'communal civil code' till now is a gross insult to Dr Ambedkar, who was the greatest champion of reforms in Hindu personal laws that became a reality by the mid-1950s. These reforms had been bitterly opposed by the RSS and the Jan Sangh," Ramesh said in a post on X. Ramesh also cited para 1.15 of 21st Law Commission's 182-page Consultation Paper on Reform of Family Law in support of his argument.

"This Commission has therefore dealt with laws that are discriminatory rather than providing a uniform civil code which is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage," he said about the document released on August 31, 2018.

Modi, in his remarks, said that laws which divide the country on communal lines and become a reason for inequality have no place in a modern society.

"I would say, it is the need of the hour that India should have a secular civil code. We have lived 75 years with a communal civil code. Now, we have to move towards a secular civil code. Only then would religion-based discrimination end. It would also end the disconnect the common people feel," he said.

(With PTI inputs)