The Indian National Congress on Tuesday, 27 May 2025, launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the introduction of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in Assam, alleging that the ruling party is pursuing a phased national rollout of the UCC under the guise of state-level legislation. The criticism followed Assam Minister Arup Bora's tabling of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Assam, 2026 Bill in the state Assembly on Monday.

What the Assam UCC Bill Proposes

The proposed legislation seeks to establish a common civil legal framework for all residents of Assam, covering matters such as marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships. Notably, the bill excludes Scheduled Tribes from its purview, a carve-out designed to protect their constitutionally guaranteed rights and customary practices.

Congress Calls It a 'Test Dose' Strategy

Congress MP Jebi Mather alleged that the BJP is using state legislatures as testing grounds before eventually pushing the UCC in Parliament. 'The BJP's agenda itself is to bring the UCC across the country. Now, slowly and step by step, they are doing what they want to do. They want to change the Constitution because they do not believe in it. That is why the UCC is being introduced in different places,' she said.

Mather further warned that Parliament could be the next target, though she argued that the current political mandate would prevent such a move from succeeding. 'They may try to bring it in Parliament too, but at present, they cannot make such changes because of the people's mandate. They will fail if they attempt such things. Everything is like a test dose for them,' she added.

The Congress leader also raised concerns about delimitation in Assam, alleging that boundary changes were made to serve political interests rather than demographic realities. 'The Congress party strongly opposes this and will continue to maintain its stand. India is a land of diversity, and that diversity cannot be erased or brushed aside. Every religion has its own beliefs and practices. It is better to leave these matters within the religious domain instead of the government trying to interfere in personal beliefs,' she said.

Assam CM Defends the Bill as Social Justice

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma pushed back firmly during the Assembly discussion, framing the UCC Bill as a measure aimed at delivering greater protection and justice for women in minority communities. Sarma said his government had deliberately introduced the bill in the very first session of the new Assembly to signal its commitment to social equity over electoral calculus.

'We are not here merely to appease vote-bank politics. Before doing anything for our supporters or political interests, we brought the Uniform Civil Code Bill for social justice,' CM Sarma said on the floor of the House.

Broader Context and What Comes Next

This comes amid a wider national debate on the UCC, with Uttarakhand having already enacted its own version of the code — making it the first state to do so. Assam's move signals that the BJP-governed states are advancing the UCC agenda incrementally, even as the Centre has not tabled a national bill. Critics argue this piecemeal approach is itself a political strategy; the BJP maintains it is a constitutional imperative for gender justice. The bill's passage — or defeat — in the Assam Assembly will be closely watched as a bellwether for UCC momentum in other BJP-ruled states.