Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, 13 September 2026, declared that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will be implemented across all 21 states currently governed by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) before the 2029 general elections. Shah made the announcement at a press conference in Mumbai after attending a series of public programmes in the city.

Shah's UCC Commitment

Expressing firm confidence in meeting the deadline, the Home Minister said: 'We have already introduced the Uniform Civil Code in several states. I am confident that before 2029, we will implement the UCC across all 21 states governed by the BJP-led NDA.' The UCC, a long-standing plank of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) political agenda, seeks to replace personal laws based on religious scriptures and customs with a common set of laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption. Uttarakhand became the first state to enact the UCC in 2024, and the current push signals a national rollout strategy ahead of the next electoral cycle.

National Security and 'Zero Tolerance' on Terror

Shah also highlighted the Modi government's counter-terrorism record, pointing to surgical strikes, airstrikes, and Operation Sindoor as evidence of a firm 'zero tolerance' policy against cross-border terrorism. He contrasted the current administration with what he described as an era of corruption, casteism, and dynastic politics before 2014, arguing that governance had shifted decisively toward 'performance-based politics.' 'India's foreign and defence policies now stand on a robust foundation. The principle of ‘India First’ guides the government's strategic vision, ensuring that national interest remains paramount,' Shah said.

Illegal Immigration: Firm Stance, Undisclosed Methods

Reiterating the Centre's position on unauthorised foreign nationals, the Home Minister affirmed the government's resolve to detect and deport all illegal immigrants. Notably, he declined to specify the operational methods being evaluated for identification, saying those details would remain undisclosed. 'The government remains firm in its commitment to identify and deport every illegal infiltrator from the country. We will systematically identify each illegal occupant and ensure their removal,' Shah emphasised. Critics have previously raised concerns about the risk of due-process violations in large-scale deportation drives, though the Home Minister did not address these directly.

Regional Language Row: Local Leadership Must Resolve It

When questioned about recent friction over regional linguistic identities — a fault line that has surfaced prominently in states such as Karnataka and parts of the Northeast — Shah advocated for prioritising native tongues while placing the responsibility for resolution squarely on state-level political leadership. 'Priority must be accorded to one's mother tongue. However, local state leadership will resolve this issue,' he said. He simultaneously accused political opponents of attempting to exploit language disputes to deepen societal divisions.

Broader Context

Sunday's press conference covered an unusually wide sweep of national issues — from the UCC roadmap and security doctrine to immigration enforcement and language politics — signalling that the BJP is framing its agenda comprehensively ahead of the 2029 cycle. The UCC timeline, in particular, sets a clear political benchmark against which the party's delivery will be measured over the next three years.