Assam Lawmakers Defend UCC Bill Focused on Women's Rights

Assam legislators from the ruling NDA advocate for the Uniform Civil Code Bill, emphasizing it aims to protect women's rights and is not religiously biased. Key speakers highlighted that tribal customs will remain untouched, while underlining the Bill's focus on marriage and demographic concerns.

In a spirited defense, Assam's ruling NDA assembly members have proclaimed the new Uniform Civil Code Bill as a significant step toward safeguarding women's rights. They stressed the legislation's neutrality regarding religions and affirmed its exclusion of tribal communities from its jurisdiction.

During the assembly discussion, Pijush Hazarika, a BJP MLA, urged support for the bill, arguing it upholds religious equality without interfering with faith-based practices. The Assam government put forth this bill on Monday, proposing to enforce a single marriage standard across communities while mandating the registration of live-in relationships, exempting Scheduled Tribes in Assam.

Hazarika criticized opponents of the bill, particularly targeting the Congress party for allegedly denying equal rights to women. He asserted that practices allowing men multiple marriages need stringent regulation to ensure justice. The bill envisions penalties for polygamy and unregistered relationships.

Other legislators echoed these sentiments. Diplu Ranjan Sharma from BJP related the bill to the NDA's pledge fulfillment, while AGP's Prithiraj Rava associated it with managing demographic challenges linked to population growth. Likewise, Rabiram Narzary of the BPF highlighted the preservation of tribal traditions while backing the bill as a move towards national cohesion.