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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Govt assures swift UCC implementation

Mumbai: Maharashtra government unequivocally declared its commitment to implementing the Uniform Civil Code across the state, assuring the legislative assembly that a comprehensive legal framework is already in the advanced stages of formulation. Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam categorically stated on the floor of the House on Tuesday that the ruling Mahayuti administration is entirely positive about the swift introduction of the Uniform Civil Code to standardize personal laws. To...

Govt assures swift UCC implementation

Mumbai: Maharashtra government unequivocally declared its commitment to implementing the Uniform Civil Code across the state, assuring the legislative assembly that a comprehensive legal framework is already in the advanced stages of formulation. Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam categorically stated on the floor of the House on Tuesday that the ruling Mahayuti administration is entirely positive about the swift introduction of the Uniform Civil Code to standardize personal laws. To facilitate this monumental legislative transition, the state government has formally sanctioned the constitution of a dedicated expert committee, which is being spearheaded by a retired High Court judge. This committee has been entrusted with the critical responsibility of meticulously preparing the draft bill for the Uniform Civil Code, which the government intends to enact immediately upon the submission of the final report. Emphasising the overarching objectives of the proposed legislation, Kadam noted that the Uniform Civil Code would universally apply to every citizen irrespective of their religious affiliations and would explicitly incorporate a stringent ban on the controversial practice of polygamy. The minister drew direct parallels with the legislative measures recently adopted by states like Uttarakhand, underscoring that the impending law in Maharashtra would similarly entail severe penal consequences, potentially including imprisonment for up to seven years for violations related to polygamy and illegal divorce practices. He firmly maintained that the government’s approach is fundamentally secular, harboring no animosity toward any specific religion, but is rather driven by the constitutional imperative to extend equal rights, legal protection, and comprehensive justice to women from all communities. This definitive policy assurance from the government was catalysed by a highly volatile calling attention motion initiated by BJP legislator Devyani Farande, which thrust the deeply sensitive issues of triple talaq and polygamy into the center of the assembly’s monsoon session. Farande brought the ongoing plight of Muslim women to the immediate attention of the House, asserting that despite the central government’s strict legislative prohibition, the illegal practice of instant divorce continues to flourish unabated.

Uneven Greatness

India has done it again. Before more than 85,000 spectators at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the national side overwhelmed New Zealand by 96 runs to claim a third ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title and becoming the first side to win the tournament thrice.


The cricketing world quickly joined the chorus of celebration. India piled up a staggering 255 for five before dismissing the Kiwis for 159, a margin that underlined their dominance in the shortest format. Opener Sanju Samson, continuing a remarkable run of form, struck another blistering innings, earning the Player of the Tournament award. Meanwhile, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah delivered a devastating spell of 4 for 15 on what was otherwise a batting paradise, securing Player of the Match honours.


Praise flowed freely from former England captains Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen, who hailed India’s white-ball dominance, to past and present Indian greats including Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar. Even across the border, former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar credited India’s success to deep structural strength and long-term planning.


India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, looked beyond the trophy cabinet. With cricket set to feature at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, he suggested that India would now aim for Olympic gold alongside yet another T20 World Cup crown.


All this praise is deserved. India has become the undisputed powerhouse of white-ball cricket. Its batting depth is formidable, its bowling attack versatile, and its bench strength enviable.


Yet celebration should not erase recent embarrassments in the Test format. Barely two years ago, India endured one of its most humiliating episodes in its cricketing history when New Zealand had inflicted a stunning 3-0 Test series whitewash on India at home. It was the first time a visiting side had swept a three-Test series in India in more than 90 years. For a team that once treated home conditions as an impregnable fortress, the defeat was startling.


The following season brought further setbacks against the South Africa national cricket team, underlining the uncomfortable truth that India’s dominance in T20 cricket has not translated into similar authority in longer formats.


While T20 cricket rewards audacity and improvisation, Test cricket demands patience, discipline and endurance. India has mastered the first art spectacularly. The second, once its proudest strength, now appears more fragile.


This matters because India is not just another cricketing nation chasing trophies. It is the game’s financial and cultural centre of gravity. When India excels only in the shortest format, the message being sent out is that spectacle matters more than substance.


The country’s greatest cricketing memories - from epic Test victories abroad to grinding home dominance - were forged over five days rather than twenty overs.


None of this should diminish the present triumph. But glory can also breed complacency. For all the fireworks in Ahmedabad, Indian cricket would do well to remember that T20 titles merely bring gallery applause. True greatness demands something longer.

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