Five detained outside Jama Masjid as UCC protest erupts after Eid prayers

Five protesters opposing the proposed Uniform Civil Code in Gujarat were detained outside the Jama Masjid in Ahmedabad on Saturday, as police enforcing Eid security intervened when demonstrators raised placards, displayed AIMIM posters, and chanted slogans while worshippers exited after prayers.

The protesters, comprising four men and one woman, asserted that the proposed legislation contravened Sharia and undermined constitutional guarantees, while police officers, deployed in anticipation of large Eid gatherings, moved quickly to prevent escalation and dispersed the gathering before it could swell.

One woman protester maintained that the UCC contradicted religious prescriptions and demanded withdrawal, while another demonstrator contended that the proposal violated Article 25, eroded women’s rights, and legitimised live-in relationships, which she described as socially corrosive.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Rupal Solanki confirmed the detentions, stating that preventive action was undertaken to maintain order, as authorities remained vigilant amid heightened sensitivities surrounding the proposed reform.

The demonstration unfolded against the backdrop of a state-appointed panel submitting its final report on UCC implementation to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on March 17, after which the Gujarat government introduced the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026, in the Legislative Assembly on March 18.

The Bill proposes a uniform legal framework governing marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships irrespective of religion, while also mandating registration of live-in arrangements and prescribing formal procedures for their termination.

The legislation is scheduled for discussion in the Vidhan Sabha on March 24, and if enacted, Gujarat will become the second state after Uttarakhand to implement the UCC.