'Distracting people from other issues': KC Venugopal on PM Modi's statement on UCC

New Delhi [India], June 27 : Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphatic endorsement of uniform law in the country during a speech in Bhopal, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal criticized the PM, alleging for being habitual in diverting attention from other pressing issues in the country.
Venugopal asserted that PM Modi rarely addresses incidents like the violence in Manipur and urged him to address concerns regarding poverty, inflation, and unemployment before focusing on other matters.
"He (PM) should first answer about poverty, price rise and unemployment in the country. He never speaks on the Manipur issue where the whole state is burning. Manipur is burning for the last 60 days. He did not speak a word about it nor did he appeal for peace. He is just distracting people from all these issues. We're not going to fall for that," KC Venugopal said.
Responding to the question on Opposition unity, KC Venugopal said, "Opposition unity is there and it will continue."
Earlier today, PM Modi said that the country cannot run on two laws and that Uniform Civil Code was part of the Constitution.
"Today people are being instigated in the name of UCC. How can the country run on two (laws)? The Constitution also talks of equal rights...Supreme Court has also asked to implement UCC. These (Opposition) people are playing vote bank politics," he said.
It is noteworthy that Part 4, Article 44 of the Indian Constitution, corresponds with Directive Principles of State Policy, making it mandatory for the State to provide its citizens with a uniform civil code (UCC) throughout the territory of India.
After flagging off five Vande Bharat Express trains on Tuesday morning, PM Modi addressed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) booth workers in Bhopal.
"Will a family function if there are two different sets of rules for people? Then how will a country run? Our Constitution too guarantees equal rights to all people," PM Modi said in Bhopal today while addressing party workers under the BJP's "Mera Booth Sabse Majboot" campaign.
The Prime Minister further said that people are being instigated in the name of the Uniform Civil Code.
"The Muslim brothers and sisters of India have to understand which political parties are taking political advantage of them by provoking them. We are seeing that work is being done to incite such people in the name of UCC," he further said.
He said that appeasement politics had left many people behind, including the Pasmanda Muslims.
"Pasmanda Muslims have become a victim of politics. Some people are using the politics of appeasement to break the country. The BJP cadre should go and explain this to the Muslims and educate them so that they do not fall victim to such politics", PM Modi said.
"If they were really supportive of Muslims the Muslim brothers would not be poor or deprived...Supreme Court has also asked for the implementation of the UCC. But these people are hungry only for vote bank," Modi said accusing the Opposition in the country of employing vote-bank politics of appeasement.