SANTINIKETAN: Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen on Wednesday claimed that the Uniform Civil Code is a "difficult" issue and efforts are on to make it easy.

The 90-year-old economist also said the UCC surely has a link with the concept of Hindu Rashtra.

"The Uniform Civil Code" is a difficult issue. Now attempts are on to make it easy. There are differences among us. There are differences of religions, there are differences in rules and customs. We need to remove those differences and be united.

"I read in the newspaper that there should not be any more delay in implementing the Uniform Civil Code. No idea from where such a nonsense concept has come," Sen told reporters at his home here.

To a question if the UCC has links with the idea of Hindu Rashtra, he said it "surely" has.

"But Hindu Rashtra is not the only way for progress-- Hinduism is being misused," said the Bharat Ratna awardee.

The UCC refers to a common set of laws on marriage, divorce and inheritance that would be applicable to all Indian citizens irrespective of religion, tribe or other local customs.

The Law Commission had on June 14 initiated a fresh consultation process on UCC by seeking views from stakeholders, including public and recognised religious organisations, on the politically sensitive issue.