Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on Monday said that while his party, the Mizo National Front, is part of the National Democratic Alliance, it does not subscribe to all its policies, NDTV reported.

Zoramthanga said that neither he and the Mizo National Front are not afraid of the government at the Centre.

“I announced in the Assembly that we will not deport Myanmar refugees, but will rather give them shelter and food,” the chief minister said while addressing party workers, according to India Today. “The MNF and the Bharatiya Janata Party work together for development, but will not advocate whatever they [BJP] say.”

Since the military junta dislodged an elected government in Myanmar in a coup in February 2021, more than 30,000 people from the neighbouring country have fled to Mizoram. The Zoramthanga government has provided them with shelter, identity cards and other facilities.

Also read: ‘Shelter, but also hope’: How the first batch of refugee students in Mizoram cleared Class 10 exams

In his address to the state Assembly, Zoramthanga also said that the Mizo National Front will continue to oppose the Uniform Civil Code, saying that his party believes that it is in conflict with the religious and social practices of the Mizos and their customary laws which are protected under Article371(G) of the Constitution.

A uniform civil code would mean that the community-specific personal laws that currently govern matters such as marriage, divorce, alimony, child custody and inheritance would be replaced by a common set of legislations for all communities.

The uniform civil code has been on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s agenda for long and several states ruled by the party have been making advances towards introducing a common set of personal laws for people from all religions. The matter gained impetus in June after the Law Commission sought views from citizens and religious groups. A couple of weeks later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also made a pitch for a Uniform Civil Code in the country.

Also Read | Why the Uniform Civil Code has few takers in the North East