Bengaluru, Apr 12 (Reporter) Karnataka Home Minister and senior Congress leader Dr G Parameshwara on Friday voiced opposition to the proposal of implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in India, stating that such a move would undermine the principles of democracy. The Minister also critiqued the stance taken by the BJP, accusing them of showing disregard for democratic values in their advocacy for the Uniform Civil Code. Defending the religious freedoms enshrined in the Indian Constitution, he highlighted the absurdity of attempting to impose restrictions on the social and cultural practices of citizens, particularly when they have been integral parts of Indian society for generations. Raising rhetorical questions about labeling these citizens as second-grade, Dr Parameshwara stated that the Constitution does not support the enactment of laws that undermine religious freedom. It also questions the rationale behind suggesting that dissenting individuals should be sent to Pakistan, a notion often used pejoratively to silence dissenters, he said. Instead, the Senior Congress leader advocated for the enforcement of existing laws if individuals are found to be violating them. The Home Minister also criticised the government's approach to tackling unemployment, suggesting that instead of introducing new schemes like Agniveer, existing vacancies within government sectors should be filled to provide employment opportunities for qualified individuals. He specifically urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address this issue. "How will you do that? You already have a ceiling in the Army, Navy and Air Force that you can recruit only these many people. There are 30 lakh sanctioned vacant posts in GoI. Why don't you fill them? What stops you from filling those vacancies? "Instead of Agniveer, already sanctioned vacancies are there in government, fill them up and give them employment. Some people are well qualified. My appeal to PM Modi is to fill these vacancies so that at least youngsters will get employment," he said. The Agniveer Scheme, introduced in 2022, aimed at recruiting soldiers for the armed forces but excluded officer positions. It allowed for the recruitment of youths aged between 17-and-half years and 21 years for a four-year term, with the possibility of extending the service period for 25 per cent of recruits for an additional 15 years. For the 2022 recruitment, the upper age limit was raised to 23 years. With Karnataka set to vote in two phases on April 26 and May 7 during the 2024 Lok Sabha Election, Dr Parameshwara's statements reflect the political landscape in the state, where the BJP, Congress, and JDS have historically contested fiercely for electoral dominance...////...