New Delhi – With only days left for the Gujarat assembly elections, Home Minister Amit Shah discussed the Single Person Act, Places of Worship Act and Citizenship Act. He made clear remarks on these issues at a function of a media organization in Delhi yesterday. This indicates that all the 3 issues that have the potential to win votes for the BJP will again be actively debated before the 2024 general elections.
Among the 3 controversial issues in BJP’s 2019 manifesto, the promise of single person rule is yet to be implemented. Steps were taken to build a temple in Ayodhya and the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was waived. Law Minister Kiren Rijiju recently said that the 22nd Law Commission is being asked to study the Single Person Act. The 21st Law Commission has released a discussion paper on the issue, disagreeing in principle with the implementation of the Single Person Act.
The governments of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Gujarat have appointed committees to make recommendations for the implementation of the Single Person Act. Amit Shah said that there should be an open and healthy discussion on the issue. Considering the high opposition in the tribal areas, the RSS is of the view that action is sufficient only after reaching an agreement through discussion. This is what the Home Minister repeated. However, he clarified that there should be no doubt that the single person law will be implemented. His assessment is that when two out of three states can implement it, the Parliament will also be forced to make laws.
In the context of the Ayodhya issue, the Places of Worship Act of 1991 provided for the maintenance of places of worship as they were on 15 August 1947. The Supreme Court had asked the Center to state its position on the petitions questioning this on the 12th of next month. The Home Minister indicated that this law needs to be changed.
A few months ago, the Supreme Court had verbally said that the law does not stand in the way of checking the nature of places of worship. Interpreting the law that prohibits changing the nature of places of worship, the court held that the law is not a bar to test the nature, a position acceptable to the Sangh Parivar. It has to be seen whether the Center will make it clear to the court that it is taking steps to amend the law.
The Citizenship Act was amended in December 2019 to include religion as a component of citizenship. There are 232 petitions, including that of the Muslim League, questioning this. The court has stated that they will be considered on the 6th of next month. The Home Minister said that those who dream that the amendments will not be implemented are wrong. The government is of the view that due to covid, the rulemaking has been delayed. The Rajya Sabha committee has extended time till January 31 and the Lok Sabha committee till January 9 to make the rules. Another controversial issue, the National Citizen Register (NPR), the government has now made clear that it does not intend to implement it across the country.
English Summary: BJP committed to bringing uniform civil code says Amit Shah