Kolkata: Less than two months after ending the TMC’s 15-year rule in West Bengal, the BJP government is likely to place before the Assembly on Monday, June 29, one of its most consequential and politically contentious promises — the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill — triggering what is likely to be the first major ideological debate of the post-election era.
The proposed legislation, which seeks to establish a common civil framework governing marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption irrespective of religion, is expected to dominate the ongoing Budget session and set the stage for a wider debate over identity, equality, secularism, constitutional rights and the relationship between personal laws and state authority.
For the BJP, the Bill represents the fulfilment of a core electoral commitment and an assertion of its long-standing position that all citizens should be governed by the same set of civil laws. For the opposition, it raises questions about social consensus, constitutional safeguards and whether a reform affecting diverse communities can be implemented without wider consultation.
Amit Shah had pledged UCC within six months of coming to power
The move comes well ahead of the six-month deadline promised by the BJP in its ‘Sankalp Patra’ ahead of the Assembly elections. While unveiling the manifesto, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had pledged that a BJP government would implement the UCC in West Bengal within six months of assuming office, projecting it as a measure aimed at ensuring equality before law irrespective of faith.
The legislation seeks to replace religion-based personal laws in matters such as marriage, divorce, succession, inheritance and adoption with a common legal framework applicable to all citizens, while retaining constitutional exemptions available to certain categories.
CM Suvendu Adhikari on Friday formally signalled the government’s intention to move ahead with the legislation during the current session.
“The way it (UCC) was implemented in Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Assam by following a procedure. Similarly, it will be implemented in West Bengal. I will inform the Assembly on Monday,” he had said.
His remarks provided the clearest indication yet that the BJP government intends to move swiftly on one of its signature electoral promises and model Bengal’s framework on mechanisms adopted in other BJP-ruled states.
The CM’s emphasis on procedure appeared aimed at countering criticism from opponents who have argued that a reform with significant social and legal implications should be preceded by extensive consultations.
UCC will not apply to tribals
Ahead of the Bill’s introduction, state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya sought to address one of the principal concerns surrounding the proposal, asserting that constitutionally protected tribal communities would remain outside its ambit.
“The BJP’s position on the UCC is longstanding and unequivocal. It is part of our political commitment and election manifesto,” Bhattacharya said in a social media post on Saturday.
Seeking to reassure tribal groups, he said members of Scheduled Tribes recognised under Articles 366(25) and 342 of the Constitution would remain exempt from the proposed law and that their customs, traditions and special rights would continue to be protected.
Bhattacharya also rejected allegations that the proposed legislation was linked to family-size regulation, saying such provisions were “neither the objective nor a part of the UCC”.
The government has sought to project the legislation as a governance reform rooted in constitutional principles, arguing that uniformity in civil laws would strengthen legal equality and remove perceived disparities arising from religion-based personal laws.
Mamata Banerjee calls for aggressive resistance
Opposition parties, however, have termed the issue as much a political question as a legal one.
At a strategy meeting with party legislators and senior leaders on Friday, TMC chairperson and former CM Mamata Banerjee directed the party to mount an aggressive resistance to the Bill inside and outside the Assembly, arguing that the proposal raises larger questions about constitutional morality, social consent and India’s plural character.
Senior TMC leaders have accused the BJP of attempting to use the legislation as a political instrument rather than pursuing genuine legal reform.
“The question is whether the UCC is genuinely being brought for the welfare of citizens and constitutional values, or whether it is being used as an instrument of political polarisation,” a senior TMC leader said, reflecting the party’s official position.
Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, whose rebel faction has challenged Banerjee’s leadership, has also questioned the government’s urgency.
“I don’t understand what the hurry is. A matter like the UCC requires extensive discussion and consultation,” Banerjee said recently, arguing that legislation affecting personal laws and family matters should not be rushed through without broader public debate.
In West Bengal, where questions of identity, migration, religion and citizenship have long shaped political discourse, the proposal is likely to acquire significance beyond its legal provisions, potentially emerging as a key fault line between the BJP government and an opposition seeking to regain political ground after its electoral defeat.
The debate also comes at a time when the BJP government has begun rolling out several high-profile promises made during the election campaign, including administrative reforms, welfare restructuring and initiatives linked to border management and the identification of illegal immigrants.
For the BJP, the UCC debate will serve as the first major test of its ability to convert a core ideological promise into legislation. For the opposition, it offers an opportunity to challenge both the substance and timing of one of the saffron party’s signature commitments. And for Bengal, it opens a new political battleground where questions of law, faith, identity and constitutional rights are set to collide.
Follow on Twitter | Edited by Saleha Fatima | 
