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Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy on Tuesday opposed the proposed implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in West Bengal, alleging that it would affect the personal laws and religious beliefs of minority communities and asserting that his party would resist any such move both politically and in the Assembly.
Speaking to ANI, Roy accused the BJP of attempting to "communalise" the issue and said the TMC had consistently opposed the UCC. "We have always opposed the Uniform Civil Code. This is an effort by the BJP government to communalise the issue. It was generally accepted that the Uniform Civil Code would not be imposed without the consent of the minority communities. Now, the Uniform Civil Code that is being proposed will affect Muslims and Christians. Both communities have their personal laws according to their religious texts. So we do not want this," Roy said. He said the party had supported the abolition of triple talaq but would not back the proposed UCC. "We supported the abolition of triple talaq, but we shall not support this Uniform Civil Code thing. We shall oppose the Uniform Civil Code. The minority communities have their own personal laws regarding marriage, divorce, succession, etc. They have followed them throughout the ages. Why suddenly should it be removed? It will hurt their religious beliefs. That is why we are against this UCC," he said. Roy further said that while there had been reports that the West Bengal government would introduce the UCC, the state government had instead announced the formation of a committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai to examine the issue. "They had said they would introduce the Uniform Civil Code yesterday, but now the Chief Minister has announced that a committee will be set up under a retired Supreme Court Justice. We do not know when it will happen, but our opposition to the Uniform Civil Code will remain," he said. Claiming that the UCC had not been implemented at the national level in nearly eight decades since Independence, Roy said only a few states had adopted it and reiterated that the TMC would oppose any legislation on the issue if brought before the Assembly. Roy also criticised the state government's decision to remove certain Muslim communities from the Other Backwards Classes (OBC) list, calling it "unfair." "Muslims were included in the OBC list to provide them with economic support. Now, suddenly removing them without reference to the High Court or the Backwards Classes Commission is unfair. They belonged to the deprived class. This right is being taken away from them. Very wrong," he said. Roy's remarks came a day after the West Bengal Legislative Assembly passed the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill, 2026, and the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2026. During the Assembly proceedings, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the state was moving towards the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code and announced the formation of a committee under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai to prepare a roadmap. He said a draft legislation would be placed before the state cabinet on July 2. (ANI)
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