Ex-VP Naidu favours early simultaneous polls, calling UCC 'Common Civil Code'

New Delhi | Former vice president M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday favoured early holding of simultaneous elections for parliament and state assemblies, and also called for involving religious scholars to bring about a consensus on a 'common civil code' in the country which could help strengthen national unity.

He also called for a separate law to check any kind of discrimination on the basis of religion, especially against women.

Speaking to a select group of journalists here, Naidu said the Uniform Civil Code should be called 'Common Civil Code' so as to eliminate any apprehension that there is attempt to "unify" everybody.

He said a common code for all after holding wider consultations will help strengthen national unity and integrity.

He urged political parties to have a serious debate on this issue and come to a conclusion.

"Let there be a common law for all. There should not be any dogma of religion... let the discussions be over and scholars should be involved and let them come up with some thing common. We are the largest parliamentary democracy in the world and let us be a mature democracy," the former vice president said.

"We are one country where people want to divide the country on the basis of religion. Let there be a common civil code, which should further strengthen national unity and integrity," Naidu said, asserting that India is secular and so is the thinking of its people.

"The majority people of the country who are Hindus are secular," he noted.

Calling for a separate law for checking any kind of discrimination on the basis of religion, he said, "There is a need for a common law for guarding against any kind of discrimination on the basis of religion. Women should not be made to suffer on the basis of some blind faiths."

"No religion that discriminates against women can be called a religion," he said, noting this is not in reference to any particular community, and called for wider consultations on these issues.

The uniform civil code is only major BJP agenda that remains unfulfilled.

The holding of simultaneous elections for Parliament and state assemblies is being pushed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind has submitted its report in favour of 'one nation, one election'.

Asked whether the prime minister has the numbers in the current Lok Sabha to bring these changes, Naidu said, "The prime minister has the skills to mobilise public opinion on these issues. He has the ability to communicate to the masses."

The former vice president said prime minister Narendra Modi is a "great public opinion maker" and his word is heard in every nook and corner of the country and he can persuade everyone.

Naidu said he always favoured holding of simultaneous elections right from his early days and wants political parties to shed their differences and implement this at the earliest.

On whether he wants a timeline for implementing this, Naidu said, "It is already late. It should be done at the earliest."

Initially, he said, some political parties were going for freebies, but now most are feeling that this is the best way as people are getting carried away and are happy.

"Because of frequent elections, development gets affected and that's why I feel it is best to have elections simultaneously for Parliament and assemblies and then local bodies within a month, so that one can focus on development. This has nothing to do with politics," Naidu said.

"I don't find any reason for anybody to oppose it," he said, calling upon political parties to shed their differences and think about the country's development and progress.

Secondly, he said the country had to go in for common civil code in due course of time but so many years have gone by and "we have not been able to pay enough attention to this issue".

"The common civil code means common for all after holding wider consultations. But that is not taking place. Let the discussion start and let the debate go on in the media, political parties, bureaucracy and individuals," he asserted.