DEHRADUN, FEB 24: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat threw his weight behind rolling out the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) across India, calling it a game-changer for knitting society together seamlessly. Speaking at a gathering of ex-servicemen on Monday evening to celebrate the RSS’s 100th anniversary, he held up Uttarakhand’s pioneering UCC—India’s first, enacted on January 27 last year—as the blueprint to follow.
“It would be a very good thing if the UCC is implemented nationwide, just like in Uttarakhand,” Bhagwat said, spotlighting how the hill state’s draft drew feedback from three lakh people, all thoughtfully incorporated. He framed the code as vital for national unity, sidestepping divisive debates to stress its role in harmonizing personal laws for marriage, divorce, inheritance, and more—long a constitutional goal under Article 44.
The event, packed with veterans and active personnel from the armed and paramilitary forces, also saw Bhagwat salute the military’s eternal role in guarding India’s freedom. He recounted the RSS’s own journey—born without fanfare, thriving through societal grit even under sanctions—urging retirees to join Sangh camps, witness volunteer spirit, and pitch in with their skills.
On a side note, he dodged questions about the Supreme Court-stayed UGC rules targeting caste bias in colleges, noting it’s sub-judice. Bhagwat’s UCC pitch reignites a hot-button issue, especially after Uttarakhand’s rollout sparked copycat buzz in other BJP states. Critics fear it overrides religious customs, but supporters like him see it as equality’s great leveler—watch for ripples in the ongoing national conversation.
