INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
GUWAHATI: NDA's northeast allies have balked at Uniform Civil Code (UCC), fearing it will curb freedoms and rights in a region home to over
200 culturally diverse indigenous tribes
Over 12% of India's tribal population lives in the northeast.The latest from the region to join the anti-UCC chorus is Meghalaya CM Conrad
Despite being one of BJP's closest allies, Conrad underlined the view of his National People's Party (NPP) that the "UCC goes against the
actual idea of India itself"."As a political party, we realise that the entire northeast has unique cultures
We want these to remain and not be touched," Conrad said.In Nagaland, BJP's other ally, the governing Nationalist Democratic Progressive
Party (NDPP), declared on Saturday that "implementing UCC will have a negative impact on the freedom and rights of the minority communities
and tribal people of India".Mizoram, which has the highest tribal population in the region at over 94%, had cemented its anti-UCC position
in February last when the assembly unanimously adopted an official resolution to oppose the code
On Friday, Mizoram home minister Lalchamliana said UCC, even if legislated by Parliament, would not be implemented in Mizoram unless the
state legislature by a resolution so decides
