UCC row in Assam Assembly: BJP backs bill, Opposition cries political agenda
Synopsis
Assam's UCC bill has split the Assembly along predictable but sharp lines — BJP invoking triple talaq and minority women's rights, Opposition warning of state surveillance and political overreach. With Uttarakhand's 2024 UCC as the template, Assam could become the second BJP-governed state to enact the code, raising the political stakes well beyond Guwahati.
Key Takeaways
The Assam UCC bill triggered a sharp political clash in the Assam Legislative Assembly on 27 May 2025 .
Assembly Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Das welcomed the bill, calling it a significant day for minority community women .
BJP MLA Sushanta Borgohain cited triple talaq and social security as the bill's core justifications.
Congress MLAs Jakir Hussain Sikdar, Tanzil Hussain, and Wazed Ali Choudhury announced floor protests and called it a political agenda .
Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi alleged the UCC enables state surveillance over citizens' private lives.
If passed, Assam would become the second state after Uttarakhand to enact a Uniform Civil Code.
The proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill ignited fierce political debate in the Assam Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, 27 May, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) championing it as a landmark step for social security and women's rights, while Opposition parties condemned it as a politically-motivated intrusion into citizens' private lives. The confrontation set the tone for a combative Assembly session in Guwahati.
BJP's Case for the Bill
Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Das welcomed the legislation ahead of the session, calling it a historic day — particularly for minority community women in the state. 'This will certainly be a very good day for Assam. It will also be a good day for the minority women of Assam. The government has brought the UCC Bill, and I will try to cooperate with everyone regarding this Bill,' Das said.
BJP MLA Sushanta Borgohain argued the bill was tailored to Assamese society and aimed at extending protections to those who had historically lacked them. 'We have brought the UCC. This has been introduced in Assam based on our Assamese society and to provide social security to those who did not have it, including issues related to triple talaq,' Borgohain said. The BJP frames the measure as a continuation of its broader agenda on gender justice, following the central ban on instant triple talaq in 2019.
Opposition Mounts Sharp Criticism
Congress MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar questioned the bill's necessity, arguing that existing statutes already cover polygamy and underage marriage. 'There is no need for UCC in Assam. There is no benefit for the people of Assam. It has been brought only with a political agenda. If there is already a law to ban polygamy and there is also a law to stop underage marriage, then what is the need for the UCC?' he asked.
Congress MLA Tanzil Hussain announced the party would stage protests during the Assembly session. 'We oppose this, and in the session that is about to begin, we are going to protest. You will see how we protest,' Hussain said. Congress MLA Wazed Ali Choudhury echoed that position, reaffirming the party's intent to oppose the legislation at every stage.
Raijor Dal Raises Privacy Alarm
Raijor Dal president and MLA Akhil Gogoi went further, alleging the UCC amounted to state surveillance of citizens' personal lives. 'UCC is an attack on the private lives of the people of Assam. It gives the state a way to keep watch over people's intimate privacy. The bureaucracy will spy on how you are living, and there will be direct surveillance over your life,' Gogoi said.
His remarks reflect a strand of criticism that cuts across ideological lines — that a codified civil law, however well-intentioned, creates a bureaucratic apparatus with reach into domestic and religious practices that communities have historically governed themselves.
Broader Context
Assam's move comes after Uttarakhand became the first state to enact a UCC in 2024, providing a legislative template that BJP-governed states have watched closely. The Assam bill, if passed, would make it the second state to adopt such a code. Notably, the UCC debate in Assam carries particular sensitivity given the state's diverse religious demography and the political salience of Muslim personal law. The session is expected to see sustained disruption as Opposition members have signalled floor protests.
Point of View
Triple talaq, social security — is carefully constructed to neutralise the charge of majoritarian overreach. But the Opposition's counter, that existing laws already address polygamy and child marriage, deserves a straight answer the government has not yet provided. Akhil Gogoi's surveillance argument is the most legally substantive critique and the one most likely to resurface in court if the bill passes. The real question Assam's legislature must answer is not whether a UCC is desirable in principle, but whether this particular bill is drafted with enough precision to withstand constitutional scrutiny — something Uttarakhand's version is still facing.
NationPress
12 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Assam UCC bill?
The Assam Uniform Civil Code bill proposes a single set of civil laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, and related matters for all residents of the state, regardless of religion. The BJP government argues it will extend social security to vulnerable sections, particularly minority women.
Why is the Opposition opposing the Assam UCC?
Opposition parties, led by the Congress, argue the bill is politically motivated and redundant, since laws against polygamy and underage marriage already exist. Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi has additionally raised concerns about state surveillance of citizens' private lives.
Which state first enacted a UCC in India?
Uttarakhand became the first Indian state to enact a Uniform Civil Code in 2024. Assam's bill, if passed, would make it the second BJP-governed state to adopt such legislation.
What did Assembly Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Das say about the UCC bill?
Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Das welcomed the bill ahead of the Assembly session, saying it would be a significant day for Assam and particularly for minority community women in the state.
What protests are planned against the Assam UCC bill?
Congress MLAs Tanzil Hussain and Wazed Ali Choudhury announced that the party would stage protests on the floor of the Assam Legislative Assembly during the ongoing session. The Opposition has collectively signalled sustained disruption.
