Time ripe for Uniform Civil Code, says C T Ravi

Claiming that Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has led to calls for equality in the country, Kannada and Culture, and Youth Affairs Minister C T Ravi said that the time was ripe for the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), here on Wednesday.

Responding to questions at a news conference, Ravi said that BJP has been talking about implementing the Code ever since the party was formed in 1985. "It was in our manifesto in 2014 and also in 2019," he said. Since CAA is alleged to be against equality, bringing UCC will ensure equality for all, Ravi added.

Ravi, who interestingly held a briefing on BJP's stand at conference hall, Vidhana Soudha, said that none of the Indian citizens had anything to fear about CAA. "There are a lot of Bangladeshi immigrants working in coffee estates of the state. Ensuring the enumeration of all such people will help in identifying such labourers, who can be then issued work visas," he said.

On concerns related to CAA, Ravi maintained that the Supreme Court was aware of all shortcomings faced during the process in Assam and added that all errors are being rectified based on court directions.

Conspiracy

He said that the anti-CAA protests were a conspiracy to divide the nation and accused the Congress of trying to reap political dividends. "It is a ploy to destabilise the Modi-led central government," he said.

On Delhi riots, Ravi said that he suspected that it was orchestrated during the US president's visit to garner international attention against CAA. "It (Anti-CAA) is not a movement. It is a conspiracy," he added.