Key Takeaways
- India’s Home Minister Amit Shah pledges to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in all BJP-led states by 2029.
- The move is expected to stoke concerns among minority Muslims, who fear it may infringe on their religious freedoms.
- At least four states have already adopted the UCC, with the BJP aiming for full implementation in 21 states.
India’s Home Minister Amit Shah has vowed to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in all 21 states governed by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) by 2029, according to a statement made on Sunday.
The UCC aims to standardise rules on personal matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance, which currently vary based on the customary traditions of different communities and faiths.
While supporters argue that the UCC would give Muslim women the same rights as others by ending polygamy and setting equal property inheritance rights, critics, particularly Muslims, fear it may infringe on their religious freedoms.
India, the world’s most populous country, is majority Hindu, with an estimated 220 million Muslims, making it the third-largest Muslim population globally.
The introduction of the UCC has been a long-standing goal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and at least four states have already implemented the code.
The campaign for a standardised civil code has raised concerns, especially among Muslim citizens, who say such a move would infringe on their religious freedoms.
Supporters, however, argue that the UCC would give Muslim women the same rights as others by ending polygamy, setting equal property inheritance rights for sons and daughters, and requiring divorce processes to take place before a civil court.
The move is expected to be a significant political issue in India’s next national elections, due in 2029, after Modi won a third successive term in 2024, when he was forced into a coalition government.
