In an indication that BJP under him was keen on regaining its 'Hindutva' moorings, party president Rajnath Singh today made a pitch for a debate in Parliament and outside to evolve a consensus on the issue of uniform civil code.

  "We want a debate in Parliament and outside on the issue of uniform civil code. The Prime Minister should also constitute a national-level committee which should start a debate and evolve a consensus on the issue," he told a press conference here before resuming his 'Bharat Suraksha Yatra.'

  Stating that the seeds of divisiveness were sown by different communities following different laws, Singh said it was not only violative of Article 44 of Constitution which said the state shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the country but also ran counter to the concern voiced by Supreme Court over effective steps not being taken to implement such a code.

  "The former Chief Justice of Supreme Court V N Khare had observed that enforcement of a uniform civil code will help the cause of removing contradictions based on ideology," the BJP president said adding a uniform civil code was in force in Goa since the Portuguese rule and nobody was complaining.

  In 1972, the then union law minister H R Gokhale and later even the President of the country had strongly supported a uniform civil code.

  "The issue is not that of Hindus versus Muslims or Hindus versus Christians. We should see it in relation to the vital issue of national unity and integrity. National security atmosphere is threatened due to separate civil codes," he said.