Sachin Pilot terms UCC debate as ‘kite-flying’

Amidst a raging debate over a Uniform Civil Code UCC Congress leader Sachin Pilot has said the talk about it is just Kite-flying as there is no concrete proposal and alleged that BJP-led Centre has bowled this googly to divert attention from the real issues regarding people. Pilot said there's nothing on a UCC in the standing committees or Parliament and the talk is just based on a rhetorical political speech. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for UCC, saying the Constitution calls for equal rights for all citizens. Pilot said: What is the agenda, where is the bill, what are we discussing? There is no agenda on the table, either in Parliament or otherwise. I am all for gender equality, making people receive justice in every way, in personal life or inheritance, but there needs to be a proper format. Why are we not talking about issues that are far more important than our divisive agenda that is still kite-flying? The former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan asked whether it would be better for the country to elect a new deputy chief minister. He said there was nothing that had been said by the standing committee or in Parliament and it is just a rhetorical political speech that evokes reactions. After you have the provocative issue being discussed in television studios and other places, should people stop talking about the prices of tomatoes being over Rs 100 a kg. The jobs at hand, the inflation, the problem the economy is facing and all the challenges that we are having at hand - those then get diluted, Pilot said. Let the government come forward with what it wants to say, as only different noises from it are heard to keep the newsrooms occupied with reactions and counter-reactions. We have to talk about issues that matter to people. The government has bowled a googly, now they're talking about it. No one knows anything about the proposal. The central government has a policy of trying to divert attention so that there is no discussion of inflation, the former Union minister said. The Congress has said there is no change in its stance on the issue, as enumerated in its June 15 statement, where it asked the law commission for changing its stand on a UCC by inviting fresh public opinion. A UCC refers to a common set of laws that apply to all citizens of India and is not based on religion, and deals with marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption among other topics.