The Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC), the apex body of Ao, Lotha and Sumi tribes in Nagaland, urged the 22nd Law Commission to uphold the idea of India based on ‘Unity in Diversity’ that is safeguarded by the Constitution of India and asserted that the proposed uniform civil code (UCC) is against that idea.

CNTC mentioned that Article 371A which is based on the “16 Point Agreement” signed between the Government of India and the Naga People’s Convention (NPC) on 26 July 1960, is the “umbilical cord that connects Nagaland with the Indian Union and any law that can override these constitutional safeguards will sever the connection that has been painstakingly developed over the past six decades on the blood, sweat, tears and sacrifices of the people to protect our identity and way of life.”

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The Council also regretted that the proposal to impose UCC is “creating deep insecurity particularly” to minority groups including in Nagaland where the different tribes have their own customs, culture and traditions that have been practiced for centuries bounded by personal laws.

It is also pertinent to mention that the 21st Law Commission had finally summed up its report in 2018 by terming Uniform Civil Code as undesirable and unnecessary and instead recommended reformation of family laws of every religion to make them gender-just based on uniformity of rights rather than laws, CNTC stated.

The Council said,” The Constitution of India recognizes diversity and plurality among the people of India and therefore, Uniform Civil Code in its present form is against the idea of India.”