Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, sitting judge of Allahabad High Court has reignited the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) debate with the leftist ecosystem trying to build a storm in tea cup from his remarks made at a recent Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) event in Prayagraj. He stated, “Hindustan would run as per the wishes of the majority people” living in the country, emphasizing that “this is the law. The law, in fact, works according to the majority. Look at it in the context of family or society. Only what benefits the welfare and happiness of the majority will be accepted,” as reported by LiveLaw.
Justice Yadav elaborated further on the Uniform Civil Code by saying that it means the uniform application of personal law, applicable to all citizens without any bar based on religion, gender, or caste. This includes matters pertaining to marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance, and succession.
Without directly referring to the Muslim community, the judge condemned practices like polygamy, triple talaq, and halala, dubbing them as “unacceptable.”
He said, “If you say that our personal law permits this, it will not be accepted. You cannot humiliate a woman who has been accepted as a goddess in our Shastras and Vedas. You cannot claim the right of four wives, halala, or triple talaq. You say, ‘we have the right of triple talaq and deny women’s maintenance.’ This right will not work. UCC is not something that the VHP, RSS, or Hinduism advocate. The apex court of the country too talks about it.”
The judge also acknowledged social issues prevailing within Hinduism, including child marriages and Sati, adding that “reformers” such as Ram Mohan Roy fought against such practices.
Also Read: Reformer or First Anti-Hindu Element? The Full Story of Raja Ram Mohun Roy
He stressed that while Hindus do not expect other communities to adopt their culture and traditions, they “are definitely expected not to disrespect the culture of this country, the great personalities, and the god of this land.”
He elaborated, “In our country, we are taught not to harm even the smallest animals, not to kill ants, and this lesson is ingrained in us. Perhaps that is why we are tolerant and compassionate; we feel pain when others suffer. But in your culture, from a young age, children are exposed to the slaughter of animals. How can you expect them to be tolerant and compassionate?”
Justice Yadav remained optimistic regarding the adoption of an all-India UCC.
He added, “I know building the Ram Temple in Ayodhya took decades, but the day is not far when it will be clear that if there is one country, there should be one law and one penal law. Those who try to deceive or run their own agendas will not last long.”
This, however, is not the first time when Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav has made headlines for drawing public attention towards serious issues.
In September 2021, he drew nationwide attention when he said that “scientists believe that the cow is the only animal that exhales oxygen.” He also requested Parliament to make the cow the national animal and declare cow protection as a “Fundamental Right of Hindus.” He made these remarks while rejecting the bail plea of a man charged with theft and cow smuggling under the UP-Cow Slaughter Act. He also proposed that the Election Commission ban election rallies and postpone the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in view of the COVID-19 scare.
