Assam govt to table UCC, oppn leaders vow to oppose bill

Guwahati: The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is set to dominate the opening session of the 16th Assam assembly, with opposition MLAs saying on the first day that they will strongly oppose the Bill.The Bill is scheduled to be tabled during the ongoing session that began on Thursday.The state govt is preparing to table the UCC Bill in the House on the last day of the current session, May 26. In its first meeting, the new Assam cabinet recently approved the implementation of the UCC in Assam. However, tribal communities, both in the hills and plains, will remain outside its scope.Speaking to the media, Sivasagar MLA and Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi alleged that the govt is keen to introduce the UCC Bill to please Delhi and Nagpur.“I was planning to stage a dharna from today itself, demanding discussions on price rise and bringing a Bill to curb price rise. This time UCC was not required, they could bring the UCC Bill later and do politics. Why in the first session itself to do Hindu-Muslim politics and to sideline the major concerns of the people?” Akhil questioned.BJP MLA Bimal Borah accused the opposition of trying to create unrest in Assam by attacking the govt over the UCC. He alleged that the opposition wants to revive the kind of turmoil seen during the CAA movement. “Our chief minister, before the election, already announced in the House that UCC will be tabled in the assembly if he becomes CM again. People knew it and voted for BJP. That means they have voted for us to implement UCC,” Borah said.Congress MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar said Assam would not benefit from the UCC. Another Congress MLA, Rekibuddin Ahmed, vowed to oppose it, saying, “The matter of targeting only one specific community through UCC will be vehemently opposed by Congress.” TMC MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed, on the other hand, said he welcomes the UCC if it bans polygamy for all, but questioned why the govt had adopted a “discriminating attitude” towards tribal communities.