The Congress, which leads the UDF, has, however, ruled out a joint movement. Congress feels that in view of the current political situation prevailing in the State a joint movement will not be possible. The party seems to fear that the CPI(M) will hijack the movement, marginalising it in the process.

As part of the campaign, the CPI(M) will organize a seminar on the UCC in Kozhikode on July 15. The CPI(M) has invited the Indian Union Muslim League(IUML), the second most powerful partner in the Congress-led UDF, to the seminar. The deft CPI(M) move has created quite a stir, putting the Congress and other parties in the UDF. The party has however made it clear that certain organisations like the Sangh Parivar, Jamaat-e-Islami and SDPI which advocate a “theocratic state”, will not be invited. The seminar aims to counter the “attempts to undermine the country’s diversity and plurality.” Apart from political parties, tribal groups have also voiced their determination to thwart the efforts to enact the UCC.

The IUML is, however, undecided on participating in the CPI(M)-organised seminar. IUML national general secretary PK Kunhalikutty, who is perceived to have a soft corner for the CPI(M), said the party will take a decision after getting information about the invitees to the seminar. IUML state president Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal is of the view that the UCC issue should be countered through legal and political means, rather than on the streets. The UCC is not an issue that affects the Muslims alone. It needs to be addressed collectively. Communal polarization on the issue must be prevented with all the force at our command. That is the stand of Thangal.

Kerala believes that the plan to bring in the UCC is a BJP tactics to create communal divisions and whip up riots before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in order to remain in power.

The Congress, however, is trapped in ambivalence on the issue. The party has come under pressure, especially after the statement of CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan that Muslims are worried about the Congress’s ambivalence on the issue. In support of his argument, he said a Congress minister in Himachal Pradesh, where the party is in power, has supported UCC. Most important, Rahul Gandhi is yet to reveal his mind on the issue, Govindan averred.

A cornered Congress is now struggling to get its act together. In a damage-control move, KC Venugopal, national general secretary (Organisation) of the Congress, has swung into action by having telephonic conversations with leaders of various Muslim organisations like IUML, Samastha, and AK Sunni faction to extend the party’s support. The party has also convened an executive meeting to discuss various forms of protest against UCC. The Congress came under added pressure when IUML state general secretary PMA Salam said the party is satisfied with the stand taken by the CP((M).

In another significant development, the warring Sunni factions have decided to sink their differences and unitedly oppose the UCC move. Leaders of the pro-Left AP Abubacker Musliyar group and the pro-IUML” EK Sunni faction have said Sunni unity was of paramount importance in the face of the Union Government’s move to enact the UCC. This move has also caused concern in the Congress. Hence the party’s desperation to shed its ambivalence on the issue. What remains to be seen is whether the Congress High Command will factor in the decision of the Sunni groups while formulating a firm stand on opposing the UCC.

Senior BJP leader and Union Minister V Muraleedharan, however, justified the plan for enacting UCC. The UCC, he said, would not impinge on the rights of the minorities. The Minister urged Christians and Muslims not to be swayed by ‘scare-mongering’ on the sensitive matter. BJP’s Kerala in charge Prakash Javadekar said the UCC is in force in Goa and Pondicherry. The Muslims in those states have no complaints, he pointed out. (IPA Service)