UCC - economist Amartya Sen

 Move to introduce Uniform Civil Code a bluff, linked to Hindu Rashtra, says Nobel-winning economist Amartya Sen

Sen met a group of students from Visva Bharati at his Santiniketan residence. They came to express support after Visva Bharati issued an eviction notice to the economist

July 06, 2023 02:52 am | Updated 07:28 pm IST - Kolkata

Shiv Sahay SinghSHIV SAHAY SINGH

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Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen during an interaction with students of Visva-Bharati University at his ancestral home ‘Pratichi’, at Santiniketan in Birbhum district on July 5, 2023. Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen on Wednesday said that attempts to implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) were a ‘bluff’. 

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen during an interaction with students of Visva-Bharati University at his ancestral home ‘Pratichi’, at Santiniketan in Birbhum district on July 5, 2023. Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen on Wednesday said that attempts to implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) were a ‘bluff’.  | Photo Credit: PTI

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen on Wednesday said that attempts to implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) were a ‘bluff’. He posed a question, asking who would benefit from such an exercise. Professor Sen was speaking to journalists at his residence at Visva Bharati. He said the exercise was certainly linked to the idea of ‘Hindu Rashtra’.

Stupid idea

 “I saw in the papers today that there should not be any further delay in implementation of Uniform Civil Code. Where did such a stupid thing come from? We have been without UCC for thousands of years and can also be without it in future,” the economist said.

Push for Uniform Civil Code turns spotlight on Supreme Court’s query on religious freedom

Prof Sen said that “Hindu Rastra” cannot be the only way in which the country can progress and one should look at these questions with a broader outlook. ‘‘ Certainly there is an attempt to use… misuse the Hindu religion,” Prof Sen said. He added that attempts to implement UCC are to overtly simplify a complicated issue with so many differences among people.

Obama did us a favour

 Asked about comments by former President of the United States of America Barack Obama that India may ‘pull apart’ over minority rights, he said that there are so many differences in the country in terms of class, religion and gender which could all emerge as a challenge. “I am happy that Obama has pointed it out. But many others among us could have pointed it out easily,” he said.

During the day, he met a group of Visva Bharati University students at his house ‘Pratichi’ and questioned the management of Visva Bharati University who are trying to evict him from his ancestral property.

Also read | Country needs Uniform Civil Code, asserts PM Modi

Professor Sen said the University authorities should ask themselves why so many people are against their attitude. The students met the economist, who is an alumnus of Visva Bharati to express their support and protest against the eviction notice.