17 January, 2006

Dear Shri Desai,

As you are aware I have deep misgivings on the quest of immediate introduction of a Uniform Civil Code which is being pursued from many quarters.

To my mind, there is no urgency in the matter.  The evolution of a Uniform Civil Code will take its own time.  What is needed is for a group of scholars, from several fields including Islamic jurisprudence, Hindu, Muslim. Christian and tribal Family Laws and the various elements of existing laws in India which apply to all citizens, to sit down quietly, without any fanfare, and consider the practicability, the need and the urgency of introducing a UCC and if they conclude that the UCC is an urgent national priority on which depends our existence as a nation or our emotional integration, then to draft a model UCC and place it before the nation for discussion.

Obviously the holding of a seminar, national or regional or local, makes little contribution towards such a scholarly exercise.  They only serve a transient need of refocusing attention to a subject which has the uppermost priority, forgive me to say so, for the professional Muslim-baiters and Muslim-bashers in the country.

However, your organisation appears to have undertaken this exercise in good faith and perhaps your Symposium may make a constructive contribution, as few have done, to sort out the various strands of the debate.  So, having said above what I have.  I wish you success in your endeavour.

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

 (SYED SHAHABUDDIN)

Mr. Hari Desai,

Chairman,

Centre for Education, Research and Progress,

Symposium on Uniform Civil Code in INidan Context,

Ahmedabad.