"Uttarakhand's Proposed UCC: A Step Towards Gender Equality and Legal Reforms"

Uttarakhand, a state ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP, has presented a bill proposing a Uniform Civil Code that would ban polygamy, raise the legal age of marriage for girls to 21, and grant equal inheritance rights to sons and daughters across religions. The bill aims to provide equal rights to men and women in matters of divorce and ancestral property, and to recognize the rights of adopted, illegitimate, and surrogate-born children. The move has sparked opposition from some Muslim leaders who view it as a threat to Islamic Sharia law and religious practices, while the BJP sees it as a step towards fulfilling its pledge of implementing a national common law.