The Indian National Congress on Tuesday criticised the BJP over the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC), alleging that the ruling party is attempting to implement the law across the country in a phased manner.
The remarks came a day after the Assam government introduced the ‘Uniform Civil Code, Assam, 2026 Bill’ in the state Assembly. The proposed law seeks to create a common legal framework governing marriage, divorce, succession, inheritance, and live-in relationships for residents of the state, while exempting Scheduled Tribes to protect their constitutional rights.
Reacting to the move, Congress MP Jebi Mather accused the BJP of gradually advancing its ideological agenda through state-level laws.
“The BJP’s agenda itself is to bring the UCC across the country. Slowly and step by step, they are doing what they want to do,” Mather said while speaking to IANS.
She further alleged that the BJP does not believe in the Constitution and wants to reshape legal structures according to its ideology.
“They want to change the Constitution because they do not believe in it. That is why the UCC is being introduced in different places,” she said.
Mather also claimed that the BJP may eventually try to bring a nationwide UCC in Parliament but said such efforts would face resistance.
“They may try to bring it in Parliament too, but right now they cannot make such changes because of the people’s mandate. They will fail if they attempt such things. Everything is like a test dose for them,” the Congress leader added.
Congress Says India’s Diversity Must Be Protected
The Congress MP also linked the debate to issues of diversity and religious freedom, arguing that personal laws are tied to religious beliefs and traditions.
“India is a land of diversity, and that diversity cannot be erased or brushed aside. Every religion has its own beliefs and practices. It is better to leave these matters within the religious domain instead of the government trying to interfere in personal beliefs,” she said.
Mather also referred to delimitation in Assam, alleging that political changes in the state had been shaped to suit electoral interests.
The Congress party has consistently opposed the implementation of UCC, arguing that it could interfere with religious customs and personal laws followed by different communities.
Himanta Sarma Defends UCC, Says It Will Protect Minority Women
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma defended the proposed UCC Bill in the Assembly, saying the legislation is aimed at ensuring justice and stronger legal protection for women, especially those from minority communities.
Participating in a discussion in the House, Sarma said his government prioritised social justice over political calculations and chose to introduce the Bill in the very first session of the Assembly.
“We are not here merely to appease vote-bank politics. Before doing anything for our supporters or political interests, we brought the Uniform Civil Code Bill for social justice,” the Chief Minister said.
According to the Assam government, the proposed legislation seeks to establish uniform legal standards on marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships across communities while preserving constitutional safeguards for tribal populations.
The debate over the UCC continues to remain politically sensitive, with supporters arguing it promotes equality and gender justice, while critics say it risks undermining India’s religious and cultural diversity.
