"HM trying to bulldoze through in every state": Jairam Ramesh slams BJP over state-level UCC push following judge's resignation

Senior Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X, wrote, "A retired High Court judge has shown courage to resign from a committee set up by the Maharashtra government to prepare a uniform civil code for the state. Here is our statement on the non-uniform “Uniform” Civil Codes (UCC) the HM is trying to bulldoze through in every state."

Senior Congress MP Jairam Ramesh lashed out at the ruling government, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party is attempting to bulldoze a fragmented Uniform Civil Code across states for political polarisation. Ramesh, in a post on X, commended the move following the high-profile resignation of a retired High Court judge from Maharashtra's state-level drafting committee, highlighting how the legislation is being driven forward.

“A retired High Court judge has shown courage to resign from a committee set up by the Maharashtra government to prepare a uniform civil code for the state. Here is our statement on the non-uniform “Uniform” Civil Codes (UCC) the HM is trying to bulldoze through in every state,” Jairam Ramesh wrote. Questioning the legality and underlying intent of individual states enacting separate civil codes and the resignation of a former High Court judge, Jairam Ramesh elaborated on the framework being adopted by BJP-ruled administrations.

“The resignation of a former High Court judge from the Maharashtra government’s committee to draft a uniform civil code (UCC) for the state raises larger questions, apart from his several concerns on the functioning of this committee. Did the Constituent Assembly ever imagine a situation in which every state would enact its own separate version of a UCC? The answer is a resounding no. Did the architects of our Constitution, led by Dr B.R. Ambedkar, ever conceive of States competing with one another to have different UCCs according to the political machinations and calculations of one political party? Again, the answer is a resounding no,” Jairam Ramesh’s statement read. Referencing the official stance of the government on UCC, he stated, “On June 17, 2016, the Modi Government referred the question of the Uniform Civil Code to the 21st Law Commission of India for detailed examination. After extensive research, the Commission published its Consultation Paper on Reform of Family Law on Aug 31, 2018. Its conclusion appearing in paragraph 1.15 on page 7 of the Consultation Paper was clear: “The formulation of a Uniform Civil Code is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage”. Instead, it recommended addressing discrimination within individual family laws while preserving India’s legal and cultural diversity.”

Despite these explicit recommendations, the opposition noted that the ruling party has systematically pursued a state-by-state legislative rollout and stated that the Government disregarded the findings of with examining the issue because the facts did not align with its political agenda. Tracing the timeline of these enactments, Ramesh observed, “The Modi Government has chosen to disregard the findings of the very Commission it tasked with examining the issue because the facts, as usual, did not align with its political agenda. Over the last three years, one BJP-ruled State after another bulldozed through its own version of a Uniform Civil Code. The UCC came into effect in Uttarakhand from January 27, 2025. Subsequently, the Gujarat Assembly passed the UCC Bill on March 24, 2026, the Assam Assembly on May 27, 2026 and the Madhya Pradesh Assembly on July 21, 2026.”

Criticising the framework of the codes currently in existence, Ramesh stated, “These State-level UCCs, never envisaged in the Constitution, are not uniform. They contain different provisions, different penalties, different procedures and significant exemptions. Contrary to claims, the Uttarakhand UCC, the only one in force, continues with a number of patriarchal traditions and is creating many problems for perfectly law-abiding residents of the state.” Warning of the ultimate political strategy behind the push, Jairam Ramesh added, “For the Modi Government, the UCC is not an instrument of considered legal reform to be implemented after the widest possible consultations and public debate and with the broadest possible consensus. It is, in reality, an instrument of division, disruption and diversion, a tool for harassment and intimidation, stoking prejudices and keeping society in a state of permanent polarisation.”

The remarks came after a retired High Court judge resigned from a committee set up by the Maharashtra government to prepare a uniform civil code for the state. Earlier in September, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the state government has already constituted a committee to prepare the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and that the law will be implemented after the committee submits its report.

Speaking to the media, CM Fadnavis said, "Look, the Maharashtra government has already formed a committee to prepare the Uniform Civil Code. The committee is working, and I believe that once the committee submits its report, we will implement it soon." His remarks came a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Uniform Civil Code would be implemented across all 21 states governed by the BJP-led NDA before 2029.

The UCC Bill has already been introduced and passed in three states -- Uttarakhand in February 2024, Gujarat in March 2026 and Assam in May 2026. (ANI)