Speaking at Agenda AajTak, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan asked critics to ‘first understand’ what the Uniform Civil Code is.
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan
By India Today Web Desk: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan said a fear has been created over the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code. Speaking at Agenda AajTak 2022 on Friday, the Kerala Governor said that if one has pledged to the Constitution of India, then how could one oppose a common law to govern citizens of the country, irrespective of one’s religion.
Speaking at the conclave, Khan said, “First, understand what the UCC is. If you have pledged to the Constitution then why will you not support the Uniform Civil Code?”
Khan asked the critics if the UCC aimed at contradicting personal laws. “Will UCC contradict personal laws? Hinduism, Sikhism have UCC, but do they have uniformity?” Khan asked.
‘UCC WILL ENSURE EQUAL JUSTICE’
Further, Khan stated that UCC aims to protect the personal rights of a person. “At present, unless the first wife raises an objection to the husband’s second marriage, it is not considered a complaint,” Khan said.
Khan said that the UCC aimed at rendering equal justice and equal protection before the law. More than prohibition from practices that take place in any community, he said that equal justice would be allowed under the aegis of the Uniform Civil Code.
“If Islam says that a groom has to give maher to the bride and he has to do so before consummation of the marriage, do you think the Uniform Civil Code will erode that practice?” Khan said.
“Justice will be equal,” Khan said.
KERALA GOVERNOR ON CHANCELLOR CONTROVERSY
Arif Khan said that he was not disturbed by the ongoing dispute over the appointment of chancellors in Kerala. He said that he was ‘already the chancellor of 15 universities’ and the ones in question were ‘deemed universities’, ‘like NGOs’.
“Deemed university means a university with a specific objective like art, liberal art, or sculpture. Anyway, the university is a concurrent subject. The state government has to refer to the central government to decide over it,” he said.
Upon being asked if he was targeted and if he was perceived as a “leftist in Kerala”, he said, “I am already the chancellor of 15 universities. The deemed universities are like NGOs, and a chancellor was merely taken to glorify the office.”
“I will resign if I place my interest before the state. I can give a record for each day. The appointment of each VC will be notified,” he said.
Khan laid down rules and said that the appointment of a chancellor would be terminated in two instances.
“First, if someone who is a non-academic is on the selection committee, then the appointment is void ab initio. Secondly, if the chancellor receives less than three names, then it is void ab initio,” he said.
Khan’s statements refer to the introduction of the University Laws (Amendment) Bill in the Kerala Assembly which aims to replace the Governor as the Chancellor of universities in the state and appoint eminent academicians to the top post. Meanwhile, the Opposition UDF contend that the move would downgrade varsities as mere “government departments”.
The Bill also provides that the government will have the power to remove the appointed Chancellor from office on the basis of an inquiry conducted by a former judge of the Supreme Court or high court in case of serious allegations of misconduct against him or her, Kerala CM’s office had said.
