Days after the Aam Aadmi Party extended ‘in principle’ support to UCC, Punjab Chief Minister and Senior AAP leader Bhagwant Mann has taken a completely opposite stand.
On the 4th of July, while interacting with the media personnel in Chandigarh, the Senior AAP leader took a contradictory line with his own party. Responding to the issue of UCC, the Punjab CM urged the Centre not to tamper with such sensitive issues.
Mann advised the Union government to follow the Constitution which according to him says that UCC can be put in place when everyone is socially equal.
He said, “Our country is like a bouquet, which has flowers of every colour. Every religion and faith and also their rituals should be respected. Why do they keep tampering with such sensitive issues? They should follow the Constitution that says if everyone is socially equal, then there can be a UCC”.
On one hand, AAP Gen Sec Sandeep Pathak & Rajya Sabha member from Punjab supported UCC and on another, CM of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann ji is speaking against it.
— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) July 4, 2023
No wonder, everyone calls AAP the biggest FRAUD party of the world
pic.twitter.com/Dg1UQYVyvX
Stating that AAP is a secular party, Mann asserted that the same laws for everyone will divide the people so for that reason the party can’t support BJP’s “divisive agenda”.
He added, “It is BJP’s agenda to divide during elections. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is a secular party and it does not support any such agenda.”
However, it is pertinent to note that earlier AAP had publicly extended in-principle support to the UCC. On the 28th of June, Sandeep Pathak, AAP’s general secretary (organization) said that the party is extending its “in-principle support” to UCC.
Pathak said, “In principle, we support Uniform Civil Code (UCC) as Article 44 also says that there should be UCC in the country.”
हम सैद्धांतिक रूप से UCC के समर्थन में हैं क्योंकि Article 44 भी कहता है कि देश में UCC होना चाहिए।
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) June 28, 2023
कुछ मुद्दे ऐसे होते हैं, जिन पर आप Reverse नहीं जा सकते हैं, ऐसे मुद्दे लागू करने से आपसे कई धर्मो, सम्प्रदाय के लोग नाराज़ हो सकते हैं
आप Authoritarian तरीक़े से इसे लागू नहीं… pic.twitter.com/RKXZvtsLVu
However, Pathak also urged the Union government to build consensus with all religions, political parties, and organizations.
Earlier, its open support to UCC had mounted troubles for the AAP government in Punjab. CM Mann drew criticism from the opposition parties within the state.
The Congress criticised it and claimed that it is like “backing the BJP-led Union government’s agenda of polarisation ahead of the 2024 general elections”. Similarly, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was putting pressure on Mann to clear his stand on this issue.
Centre’s ordinance on Delhi is an attack on the Constitution
Punjab CM Mann also criticised the Union government and PM Mod for passing the ordinance in Delhi. He urged the Congress party to support the AAP in stopping the ordinance from turning into an act.
He claimed that the ordinance brought in Delhi is an attack on the constitution of the country.
ਦਿੱਲੀ ‘ਚ ਲਿਆਂਦਾ ਗਿਆ ਆਰਡੀਨੈਂਸ ਦੇਸ਼ ਦੇ ਸੰਵਿਧਾਨ ‘ਤੇ ਹਮਲਾ ਹੈ…ਇਹ ਇਕੱਲੇ ਦਿੱਲੀ ਦਾ ਮਸਲਾ ਨਾ ਸਮਝਿਆ ਜਾਵੇ…ਕੇਂਦਰ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ ਦੇ ਹੁਕਮਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਚੈਲੰਜ ਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ.. pic.twitter.com/ugkNWD7qwV
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) July 4, 2023
He said, “The AAP is a national party. In 2024, we have to save the country. If they change the Constitution then what is the country? The ordinance is unconstitutional. If they are allowed to do this today then they can attack federalism in all other states. The Congress is the worst hit. It should oppose the ordinance and support the AAP.”
