CM Fadnavis hits back at Owaisi, Rahul Gandhi over Maharashtra's Uniform Civil Code move

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday defended his governments decision to draft a Uniform Civil Code UCC asserting that the Constitution itself directs states to work towards its implementationHitting back at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Fadnavis said the UCC is rooted in the Directive Principles of State Policy He also alleged that the Opposition was attempting to orchestrate street protests similar to those witnessed in neighbouring countriesDr Babasaheb Ambedkars Constitution has given us fundamental rights and incorporated Directive Principles of State Policy One of these directives says every state should bring a Uniform Civil Code Who has written this The Constitution of India It is a constitutional responsibility he said PTI reportedFadnavis says UCC is a constitutional responsibilityThe chief minister said the Directive Principles were not enforceable by courts unlike fundamental rights as their implementation required time and consensus among peopleIf Owaisi had read the Constitution a little he would not have said that we are bringing this outside its framework or considering ourselves bigger than the Constitution The Constitution itself has directed us to do this he said PTI reportedCM accuses Opposition of undermining constitutional institutionsFadnavis also dismissed Rahul Gandhis allegations that the BJP was undermining democratic institutions and was afraid of the Special Intensive Revision SIR of electoral rolls He accused the Opposition of deliberately creating distrust in constitutional bodiesThe chief minister claimed that the Opposition was following a strategy of questioning and demonising institutions including the Supreme Court Election Commission Parliament Comptroller and Auditor General CAG and Reserve Bank of India RBI to promote a conspiracy narrative and undermine public faith in themThe ultimate aim is to create a situation where people believe that the institutions created by the Constitution cannot deliver justice or protect them he saidThe BJP leader alleged that the Opposition wanted to bring about a political system similar to those in Nepal Bangladesh and Sri LankaWe believe decisions should be taken in Parliament But if they have decided not to debate there and fight on the streets we are also ready to take to the streets and expose them he said adding that the protests would have no impactFadnavis speaks on Maharashtra Special Public Security ActOn the Maharashtra Special Public Security Act introduced to curb urban Naxalism Fadnavis said the law had been enacted only recently and its implementation was still in the early stagesThe law has just been implemented Work under it has only begun Before Maharashtra nine states had enacted similar laws and benefited from them he saidCM says Mumbai Police SIT found nothing suspicious in Disha Salian caseFadnavis also said the Mumbai Polices Special Investigation Team SIT had submitted its report on the Disha Salian case after examining the available evidence and found nothing suspiciousThe investigation began very late Therefore the police can ultimately act only on the evidence available to them The Mumbai Police submitted its SIT report based on its findings Since the court found certain deficiencies it has also asked the CBI to investigate he saidFadnavis comments on managing threeparty Mahayuti governmentAsked whether governing Maharashtra was easier with two parties in the previous government or three parties in the current Mahayuti dispensation Fadnavis said political challenges were part of governanceHe added that working with two chief ministers had given him considerable experienceWith PTI inputs