The Assam government, led by BJP’s Himanta Biswa Sarma, tabled the controversial Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in the Assembly, triggering political and religious debate over the implications of the law once enforced, including the exemption granted to tribals from its application, which was questioned by Asaduddin Owaisi, who accused the BJP government of imposing Hindu laws on Muslims.
The proposed legislation, introduced by the BJP government as part of its broader ideological and legislative agenda, seeks to establish a common legal framework governing marriage, divorce, succession, inheritance and live-in relationships, while simultaneously proposing a ban on polygamy and mandating the registration of live-in relationships across the State.
However, the exemption granted to tribal communities from the ambit of the law has triggered accusations of inconsistency, selective application and political opportunism.
Launching a blistering critique through a post on his official X handle, Owaisi contended that the very foundation of the legislation collapses once exemptions are granted to specific communities, arguing that a law described as “uniform” loses both its moral and constitutional coherence when it ceases to apply equally to all citizens.
Invoking Article 29 of the Constitution, which safeguards the cultural rights of communities, the AIMIM chief questioned why the autonomy of tribal populations alone was being protected while Muslims were being compelled to surrender their distinct personal laws.
Owaisi further alleged that the legislation effectively amounted to a “backdoor imposition of Hindu law on Muslims”, asserting that principles derived from Hindu legal traditions were being superimposed upon matters relating to inheritance, succession and divorce.
He argued that while Hindu cultural norms continued to enjoy institutional protection, Muslims were being coerced into accepting what he described as artificially manufactured uniformity.