Jaipur, July 6 -- The Rajasthan government has launched a statewide public consultation process on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and invited suggestions from citizens until July 25, officials said. A committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai is seeking public feedback through an online portal, SMS, and divisional-level public hearings before preparing the draft legislation, they said. According to officials, the home department has appealed to people across state to actively participate in the policymaking process, saying that a law drafted after extensive public consultation would be more practical, inclusive and representative. As part of the outreach campaign, the government has begun sending SMS messages to mobile users across Rajasthan, inviting them to share their views on the proposed law. The message informs recipients that the state intends to implement the UCC and urges them to submit their suggestions through the committee's official portal. The government has also launched a 19-question online survey to gather public opinion on key aspects of the proposed legislation. The survey's primary question asks whether the UCC should be implemented in the state. It also seeks views on a common legal framework for marriage, divorce, inheritance, wills and live-in relationships across all communities. According to the home department, the drafting committee decided to seek extensive public participation before finalising the proposed bill. Committee members are conducting public hearings at divisional headquarters to collect feedback from stakeholders and members of the public. The government said the draft UCC will be prepared after examining the suggestions received during the consultation process. Apart from the online consultation, the committee will travel across Rajasthan to collect feedback through public hearings. Committee members will hold consultations at divisional headquarters to interact directly with citizens, social organisations and other stakeholders. Meanwhile, State Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra, in a letter to the chief secretary, said conducting public hearings without releasing the draft UCC legislation was contrary to democratic principles and could adversely affect social harmony and communal goodwill. Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully said, "If the UCC is to be implemented, the Centre should implement it uniformly across the country rather than leaving it to individual states." The BJP, however, dismissed the Congress' objections. BJP chief spokesperson Ram Lal Sharma said Congress has consistently opposed legislation that, according to him, serves the national interest. "The Congress opposed Article 370, the Ram Mandir, and now it is opposing the UCC. It is unfortunate that the Congress is willing to compromise on the country's interests for political gains and appeasement," Sharma said....