Law Commission hasn't launched a 'missed call' campaign to show support for Uniform Civil Code

By: Annet Preethi Furtado
July 20 2023

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Context

Implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC)—which aims to create a common set of personal laws for all religions and communities—has been a contentious issue in India for years. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has had UCC on its agenda for a long time and now seems to be paving the way to roll it out soon, albeit expecting resistance from several quarters. Many political parties and leaders of religious and tribal communities are concerned that after doing away with personal laws—which currently govern matters of marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance etc.— the UCC will infringe upon the different customs and traditions of various groups. 

The Law Commission of India has sought to examine the controversial issue afresh and in a notice issued on June 14 has invited the public and recognized religious organizations to share their views on the matter. 

On June 27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the necessity of implementing a UCC during his address to BJP booth workers in Bhopal. He said, “India could not efficiently function with a dual system of separate laws for separate communities."

Amid such developments, UCC has become a hot topic of debate online and offline. Several social media users have been encouraging others to give a missed call on the phone number 9090902024 to “show their support for the UCC.” However, contrary to the perception that such posts create, the phone number is not associated with the Law Commission. The number is, in fact, related to a BJP campaign and has no direct connection with the promotion or implementation of the UCC.

In Fact

In the notice issued on June 14, the Law Commission invited the public to share their opinions on UCC via email or by clicking on a link provided in the notice. The notice said that individuals can express their views by either clicking on the link or emailing the commission at membersecretary-lci@gov@in. Notably, the notice does not include any phone number or suggest expressing support for the UCC through a missed calls campaign. 

The commission’s notice was in response to a reference from the Ministry of Law & Justice dated June 17, 2016. The law commission had earlier prepared a consultation paper on UCC in 2018 but “considered it expedient to deliberate afresh over the subject (UCC)” as “more than three years have lapsed from the date of issuance of the said consultation paper.”

Regarding show of support to the UCC over the phone, the Law Commission had released a statement on July 7 stating it had come to its notice that ‘certain phone numbers’ had been circulating with false association with the commission. The statement said that the commission had no connection or affiliation with any WhatsApp texts, calls, or messages about the UCC. It emphasized that its official mode of communication was limited to official channels; its website (https://lawcommissionofindia.nic.in) and the official publication of the Press Information Bureau(PIB). The commission also reiterated its previous notice dated June 14, stating that any suggestions or opinions concerning the UCC should be submitted by clicking on the provided link or emailing the executive body.

Upon further investigation, we found a report by India Today published on May 31, which stated that BJP had launched a unique 'missed call' campaign in light of the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The campaign featured a special number, 9090902024, symbolizing the nine years of the Modi government and the election year 2024. People can give a ‘missed call’ on this number to show their support. 

On June 29, the BJP, through its official Twitter account, urged people to participate in the 'Jan Sampark Se Jan Samarthan' campaign by simply giving a missed call on 9090902024.

To cross-check, we also dialed the number, and the call disconnected after a single ring. Soon after, we received a message that read: "Thank you for supporting the Modi government committed to Seva, Sushasan and Garib Kalyan. Click on 9yearsofseva.bjp.org to know the achievements of 9 years of the Modi government. BJP." This message established that the phone number is indeed associated with the BJP campaign and, contrary to claims on social media, it is neither associated with the Law Commission nor is connected to the UCC.

The Verdict

The Law Commission of India has not initiated a ‘missed call’ campaign for expressing support or opposing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The number ‘9090902024’ is associated with a BJP campaign to gather mass support and has no connection to the UCC, as falsely claimed on social media.