Patna, Sep 15: The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) debate has intensified political activity in Bihar, with differences emerging among ruling NDA allies after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the law would be implemented in all BJP-ruled states before 2029.
While the BJP has backed the proposal, its allies in Bihar have adopted varying positions. The Janata Dal (United) has sought clarity on the provisions of the proposed law, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has called for wider consultations, while the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) has supported the move in principle.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and senior JDU leader Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said the party would take a decision only after the provisions of the proposed UCC bill are made public and studied.
“Let the bill come first, and its provisions will be studied,” Chaudhary said.
He said that after examining the provisions, the party would discuss the matter with Shah before taking a final decision.
“Our acting national president has made it clear that after reviewing the provisions, we will discuss them directly with the Home Minister. This will be followed by a discussion within the party, and then a decision will be made,” Chaudhary said.
The RJD, meanwhile, sought to turn the disagreement into a political opportunity by inviting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to leave the BJP and join hands with the opposition party.
RJD MLA Bhai Virendra Yadav said the UCC would not be implemented in Bihar under any circumstances and urged Kumar to form a government with the RJD.
“We would like to tell Nitish Kumar to leave the Bharatiya Janata Party; we are the people who stand for social justice. You and I will form a government together,” he said.
“This law must not be implemented in Bihar under any circumstances,” Yadav added.
LJP (Ram Vilas) president and Union Minister Chirag Paswan also adopted a cautious position, calling for the draft of the proposed UCC to be made public before any decision is taken.
Paswan said the impact of the proposed law on all stakeholders should be assessed and detailed consultations held before his party finalises its position.
He stressed that India’s social fabric is “extremely diverse”, with different communities following their own traditions, customs and social practices, many of which are protected by constitutional provisions.
The LJP, he said, was committed to both “equality and diversity”.
In contrast, HAM national president and Bihar minister Santosh Kumar Suman welcomed Shah’s announcement, describing it as “an important step towards equality, justice, and equal rights for citizens”.
Suman, however, said he did not yet have detailed information about the proposal and favoured consultations with all NDA constituents.
“If the issue were to be discussed further, the leaders of all NDA constituent parties would be taken into confidence,” he said.
Suman also cautioned against commenting on the issue without knowing the details, saying it would be “like escalating the controversy”.
He said that if the proposal contained no errors or flaws, it would be implemented.
The divergent positions have brought the UCC issue into sharper focus within the Bihar NDA, with JDU and LJP seeking greater clarity and consultation, while HAM has backed the proposal in principle.
For the RJD, the controversy has opened another political front against the ruling alliance, with the party openly attempting to use the issue to woo Nitish Kumar away from the BJP.
