In BJP-governed Gujarat, where a draft of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is being prepared, an attempt to gather consent for it by circulating a form in schools has been found to be coercing Muslim students to endorse it, prompting the committee tasked with preparing the UCC to direct action against it.
The complaint, filed by the Minority Coordination Committee, expressed concern that students from minority communities were being coerced into endorsing the code, a move it argued was both unethical and misleading.
The UCC aims to replace community-specific personal laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption with a common set of rules applicable to all citizens. While the legislation has long featured on the BJP’s agenda, its implementation has raised concerns among minority groups who fear the erasure of religious and cultural autonomy.
Gujarat, a BJP-ruled state, appointed a five-member panel in February to draft the proposed law, following Uttarakhand’s lead after it became the first Indian state to adopt a UCC post-independence.
The controversy in Gujarat emerged after documents titled “A Questionnaire on Uniform Civil Code-Gujarat,” reportedly identical to those available on the state’s official UCC website, surfaced in government-run primary schools across Vadodara city, including in areas such as Akota and Tandalja.
Similar forms were allegedly distributed in the Naswadi taluka of the Chhota Udepur district, where students were said to have been pressured into filling them out. Teachers from the region reportedly claimed the forms were distributed through Cluster Resource Centres, which function under the education department.
While the committee has clarified that it made a general appeal for public opinion from adults aged 18 and above, it denied issuing any instructions involving school children. The panel acknowledged the receipt of the complaint and confirmed that the matter would be reviewed, particularly to assess whether the forms had been misused or misrepresented within educational institutions.
The complaint urged the committee to investigate how schools came to circulate the forms and to determine whether children were compelled to fill them without parental involvement. The Minority Coordination Committee stressed that the practice undermined the principles of informed consent and posed a serious violation of students’ and families’ rights.
It demanded accountability from those responsible, arguing that the incident cast doubt on the transparency and fairness of the consultation process surrounding the UCC.
Following the submission of the complaint on Sunday, the committee formally communicated with the state legal department on Monday, urging it to examine the facts and initiate appropriate action.
Critics have pointed out that the UCC, as implemented in Uttarakhand, draws heavily from Hindu personal law and may marginalise traditional legal practices followed by other religious groups.
The Gujarat government’s approach is now under close watch, with civil society groups calling for transparency and ethical engagement, while the Uniform Civil Code Committee has promised to investigate the matter and issue directions if necessary.