Assam BJP chief Dilip Saikia slams Congress over UCC opposition
Synopsis
With the Assam Assembly session opening on 21 May, BJP state chief Dilip Saikia has gone on the offensive — accusing Congress of blocking the Uniform Civil Code not on principle, but for vote-bank arithmetic. The charge sharpens the political battle lines ahead of what could be a landmark legislative moment for the state.
Key Takeaways
Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia accused Congress of opposing the UCC for 'vote-bank politics' on 14 May 2025 .
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced the UCC will be implemented during the Assam Assembly session beginning 21 May .
Saikia cited Uttarakhand as a model, claiming no major adverse reactions followed UCC implementation there.
Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi was named by Saikia as a key figure opposing the proposed law.
The BJP has committed to an active public campaign in favour of the UCC ahead of the Assembly session.
Dilip Saikia, president of the Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Thursday, 14 May accused the Congress of opposing the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state purely for vote-bank calculations, asserting that the law would advance equality and social harmony without targeting any community.
BJP Welcomes UCC Push in Assam
Addressing reporters in Guwahati, Saikia said the BJP's state committee had formally welcomed the move to implement the UCC in Assam and expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for championing the proposal. He noted that Sarma had publicly committed to bringing the UCC to the state even before the last election cycle, framing it as part of a broader 'one nation, one law' vision.
'The UCC is the need of the hour. It will promote unity, equality and gender justice in the country. This law will not harm anyone and it will not lead to oppression against any section of society,' Saikia said.
Uttarakhand Cited as a Working Model
Saikia pointed to Uttarakhand — the first state to implement the UCC — as evidence that the law could be enforced without triggering significant social backlash. He claimed that no major adverse reactions had emerged in Uttarakhand after the code came into force, and argued that Assam could follow a similar path.
Congress Accused of Misleading the Public
The Assam BJP chief alleged that Congress and certain opposition leaders were deliberately stoking confusion around the UCC for political reasons. He later singled out Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi by name, criticising his strong opposition to the proposed legislation.
'Congress leaders are trying to mislead the public and create divisions in society. Their politics is based on appeasement, vote-bank calculations and dividing communities,' Saikia alleged.
He further claimed that the people of Assam had already rejected what he called the 'divisive politics' of the Congress, and argued that the opposition was out of step with the shifting mood of the state's electorate.
Assembly Session and What Comes Next
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced that the UCC will be tabled and implemented during the upcoming Assam Assembly session scheduled to begin on 21 May. The BJP has indicated it will continue an active public campaign in favour of the code ahead of the session. The Congress, led in the state by Gogoi, is expected to mount a formal legislative challenge when the session opens.
Point of View
But its deployment ahead of an Assembly session carries specific tactical weight — it pre-emptively delegitimises any legislative resistance as communally motivated rather than constitutionally grounded. What the debate obscures is the substantive legal question: how the UCC will interact with the constitutionally protected customary laws of Assam's many tribal communities. Uttarakhand, cited as the model, has its own tribal exclusion carve-outs — a detail that rarely surfaces in the political rhetoric. Whether Assam's version includes similar protections will be the real test of the 'no harm to any community' assurance.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) proposed for Assam?
The UCC is a single set of civil laws — covering marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption — that would apply uniformly to all citizens regardless of religion. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced plans to table and implement it during the Assembly session beginning 21 May 2025.
Why is the Congress opposing the UCC in Assam?
The Congress, led in the state by Gaurav Gogoi, has strongly opposed the proposed UCC. The party has not publicly detailed its full objections, but BJP chief Dilip Saikia has alleged the opposition is driven by vote-bank considerations rather than legal or constitutional concerns.
When will the Assam Assembly debate the UCC?
The Assam Assembly session is scheduled to begin on 21 May 2025, during which Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced the UCC will be taken up for implementation.
Has the UCC been implemented anywhere else in India?
Uttarakhand became the first state to implement the UCC. Assam BJP chief Dilip Saikia cited Uttarakhand's experience, claiming no major adverse social reactions had followed the law's enforcement there.
Who is Dilip Saikia?
Dilip Saikia is the president of the Assam state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He made these remarks while addressing reporters in Guwahati on 14 May 2025.
