Guwahati, May 14: Gaurav Gogoi, the Assam Congress president and Lok Sabha MP, targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday regarding the issue of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). He accused the ruling party of using constitutional provisions for political polarization rather than promoting equality and justice.
Speaking to reporters, Gogoi questioned the BJP’s commitment to equal rights and treatment for citizens, asserting that the party does not genuinely believe in “equality” in governance or social justice.
“Does the BJP believe in equality? Does the BJP respect all citizens of India? Does the BJP provide equal rights and equal protection to citizens? The truth is that the BJP does not believe in equal rights, equal respect, or equality,” he stated.
Citing the constitutional mention of the UCC under the directive principles of state policy, Gogoi claimed that the BJP is attempting to misuse this constitutional concept for divisive political purposes.
“Although the UCC is mentioned in the directive principles of the Constitution, the BJP wants to misuse this constitutional idea to promote its politics of division and polarization in society,” he added.
Gogoi remarked, “The BJP discusses the UCC in various states from the perspective of social division and political polarization. Instead of fostering harmony and equal opportunities, the party is using this issue to divide communities.”
His comments came amid renewed discussions on the implementation of the UCC in BJP-ruled states, including Assam, where the state government recently indicated that it has begun preliminary work on the matter.
The BJP has consistently claimed that the UCC aims to ensure uniform laws for all citizens, regardless of religion, and aligns with the constitutional vision of equality and justice.
However, opposition parties have accused the ruling party of exploiting the issue for electoral gain and targeting minority communities.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Wednesday that the upcoming session of the Assam Assembly will commence on May 21, and the state government will present the UCC bill in the house on May 25.
After the second cabinet meeting of his government held in Koinadhara, Sarma stated that the proposed UCC bill will exclude the tribal community from its scope.
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