TOWARDS ATMANIRBHAR SAMAJ: GOA'S UNIFORM CIVIL CODE, A MODEL FOR REST OF INDIA

Atmanirbhar or self-reliance engulfs multiple facets of human life and activity and does not rest only at the door of
economics. Social self- reliance or Samajik Atmanirbharata refers to the ability of a community to function with a
level of cohesion, social accountability and mutual dependence - taking decisions, mobilizing resources and building
and maximizing inter-personal capacity to address issues and initiatives for mutual benefits. In a country as diverse
in nature as ours, attaining social self-reliance by retaining our family values and cultural ethos is paramount
towards the creation of a strong and confident India.
The Family Laws of Goa relating to marriage, divorce, adoption and succession are different from the rest of the
country. The Civil Code of Goa, derived largely from the Codigo Civil Portugues (Portuguese Civil Code) of 1867,
based on Code Napoleon, was made applicable to Goa in 1870, underwent a change in 1880, when it incorporated
the special and private usages and customs of the native Hindus, which had been codified and to the extent they were
not against morality and public order. In 1910, the Code underwent further changes in keeping with the Portugal’s
Republican spirit. After Goa’s liberation, vide the Goa, Daman and Diu Administration Act of 1962, the Indian
Parliament maintained all the family laws in force in Goa before its liberation.
Based on Goan experience of uniform Civil Code, this paper expresses an ideal towards self-reliant and harmonious
Indian society and attempts to provide a valuable counterpoint to the modern day emphasis on preserving diversity,
at the cost of unity.