UCC no threat to tribals, says Amit Shah at Red Fort conclave
Synopsis
At a 1.5-lakh-strong tribal conclave at the Red Fort, Amit Shah drew a clear line: the UCC will not touch tribal customs — just as Uttarakhand and Gujarat have already exempted them. The address is as much a political firewall as a policy assurance, aimed at neutralising Opposition narratives before the UCC debate reaches a national flashpoint.
Key Takeaways
Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Janjati Sanskritik Samagam at the Red Fort , New Delhi , on 25 May 2025 .
Shah assured tribal communities that the UCC will not affect their traditions, citing exemptions already in place in Uttarakhand and Gujarat .
Tribal welfare funding raised to ₹1.50 lakh crore under PM Modi, up from ₹28,000 crore in the Congress era, according to Shah.
Shah claimed the five-decade-old Maoist insurgency has been eliminated under Modi, with violence having previously claimed 40,000 tribal lives .
The conclave drew nearly 1.5 lakh delegates from over 550 tribal communities , organised by the Janjati Suraksha Manch .
Shah invoked the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda and called for tribal participation in the Viksit Bharat@2047 mission.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, 25 May 2025, assured India's tribal communities that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) poses no threat to their customs, traditions, or rights, urging them to reject what he described as lies spread by 'divisive forces' seeking to create discord. Speaking at the Janjati Sanskritik Samagam (Tribal Cultural Conclave) at the historic Red Fort grounds in New Delhi, Shah positioned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government as the foremost champion of tribal welfare in independent India.
Shah's Assurance on UCC
Addressing an audience of nearly 1.5 lakh representatives drawn from more than 550 tribal communities across the country, Shah was unequivocal. 'Two BJP-ruled states, Uttarakhand and Gujarat, have introduced UCC and both of them have kept tribals out of its purview,' he said. He called upon tribal communities not to fear the Code and assured them that 'no tradition of tribal communities will be restricted under the Code.'
Shah urged conclave participants to return to their home states and convey this assurance to fellow tribals, warning against what he termed divisive forces deliberately spreading misinformation about the law to fracture social unity.
BJP's Tribal Welfare Record Cited
The Home Minister presented a series of policy milestones to underline the BJP's commitment to tribal development. He stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised tribal welfare funding to ₹1.50 lakh crore, compared with ₹28,000 crore during the previous Congress-led dispensation. He also credited the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with establishing a dedicated Tribal Affairs Ministry, a legacy he said Modi has carried forward.
Shah highlighted that Modi appointed Droupadi Murmu, a tribal community member from Odisha, as President of India — the first person from the community to hold the country's highest constitutional office. He also noted that two BJP-governed states currently have Chief Ministers from tribal backgrounds, and that the party swept all 16 tribal seats in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Maoism, Conversions, and Forest Rights
Shah claimed that the 'five-decade-old Maoism problem has been finished under PM Modi,' adding that erstwhile security force camps in erstwhile Maoist strongholds have been converted into community service centres. He blamed previous governments for neglecting the Maoist insurgency, arguing that their inaction resulted in violence that claimed the lives of 40,000 tribals.
He also criticised what he described as illegal conversions in tribal areas, asserting that such conversions are not permitted under the Constitution. Lauding tribal traditions that nurture nature, Shah said, 'The tribals of the country present the largest sustainable model in the world, and the BJP is a party which believes in the welfare of the community.'
Birsa Munda Anniversary and Viksit Bharat
Shah invoked the 150th birth anniversary year of tribal icon Birsa Munda, expressing pride at engaging with tribal representatives from across India on the occasion. He linked the gathering to a broader call for a united march towards Viksit Bharat@2047, framing tribal progress as integral to India's centenary development vision.
The conclave was organised by the Janjati Suraksha Manch. Colourful cultural processions featuring tribal men and women in traditional attire and carrying indigenous musical instruments converged on the Red Fort venue from five different locations across Delhi. With the UCC debate intensifying ahead of its potential national rollout, Shah's address signals the government's intent to pre-empt tribal opposition before it consolidates.
Point of View
Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and the Northeast — are swing blocs that have historically punished governments perceived as threatening indigenous identity. By anchoring the UCC assurance to already-enacted state-level exemptions in Uttarakhand and Gujarat, Shah is offering concrete legislative precedent rather than mere rhetoric — a smarter play than a blank promise. Yet the criticism of 'illegal conversions' and the invocation of Sanatan Dharma alongside tribal nature-worship is a deliberate cultural framing that critics will read as an attempt to fold tribal identity into a Hindu nationalist narrative. The ₹1.50 lakh crore welfare figure, if accurate, is significant — but the gap between budgetary allocation and ground-level delivery in tribal districts has historically been wide, and no independent verification was offered at the conclave.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the UCC apply to tribal communities in India?
According to Home Minister Amit Shah, tribal communities are explicitly excluded from the UCC as implemented in Uttarakhand and Gujarat, the two BJP-governed states that have so far enacted the Code. Shah assured that no tribal tradition will be restricted under the legislation.
What is the Janjati Sanskritik Samagam?
The Janjati Sanskritik Samagam, or Tribal Cultural Conclave, is an event organised by the Janjati Suraksha Manch. The 2025 edition was held at the Red Fort grounds in New Delhi and drew nearly 1.5 lakh representatives from over 550 tribal communities across India.
How much has the Modi government allocated for tribal welfare?
Home Minister Amit Shah stated that Prime Minister Modi has raised tribal welfare funding to ₹1.50 lakh crore, compared with ₹28,000 crore during the Congress era. The figures were cited by Shah at the conclave and have not been independently verified in this report.
What did Amit Shah say about Maoism and tribal violence?
Shah claimed the five-decade-old Maoist insurgency has been eliminated under PM Modi's government, and that former security camps in affected areas have been repurposed as community service centres. He also alleged that previous governments' inaction on Maoism led to violence that killed 40,000 tribals.
Who is Birsa Munda and why was he mentioned?
Birsa Munda was a 19th-century tribal freedom fighter and folk hero, revered across Jharkhand, Odisha, and Bengal. Shah referenced the ongoing 150th birth anniversary year of Birsa Munda to honour tribal heritage and frame the BJP's outreach within a broader cultural context.
