Jaipur: BJP MP from Udaipur, Mannalal Rawat, has urged the Bhajan Lal Sharma govt to keep Rajasthan’s tribal communities out of the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC), saying the state should follow the Uttarakhand and Goa models, where Scheduled Tribes have been exempted from the law.Talking to TOI, Rawat said Tuesday that the exemption should cover tribal people living in both Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) and non-TSP areas. At the same time, he backed strict implementation of the UCC for religious minorities, including Muslims and Christians.The MP argued that the UCC could affect several long-standing tribal customs related to marriage, divorce and inheritance. Among the practices followed by some tribal communities in southern Rajasthan are ‘nata pratha’ (a customary form of remarriage), community-recognised divorces through traditional panchayats and, in some areas, polygamy. Many tribal marriages are also solemnised through customary rituals without formal registration.If Rajasthan adopts a UCC similar to Uttarakhand’s, provisions requiring monogamy, compulsory marriage registration, court-recognised divorce and uniform inheritance rules could override these customary practices unless Scheduled Tribes are specifically exempted.“Scheduled Tribes who continue to follow their original customs and customary practices should be kept outside the UCC,” Rawat said.The demand comes as the Rajasthan govt has begun statewide consultations on the proposed Uniform Civil Code, indicating that it could introduce the legislation during the upcoming monsoon session of the Assembly.Referring to judicial rulings, he argued that the exemption should apply only to those who continue to practise tribal customs. “The judiciary has already held that when a person gives up tribal customary practices and adopts another religion such as Christianity, the protection available under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act does not apply. Similarly, such persons should come under the UCC. Some states already have such a provision,” he said.Rawat said excluding tribals from the UCC would protect their distinct cultural identity without diluting the objective of introducing a uniform law for other sections of society.