Christians and Muslims question intent and implications of Gujarat’s new Uniform Civil Code bill, citing fear of erosion of religious rights.
Newsroom (20/03/2026 Gaudium Press )In a move stirring debate across faith communities, the government of Gujarat has approved a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill aimed at streamlining personal laws on marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption. The decision, taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on March 19, marks a significant policy step by India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has long promoted the idea of a single civil code for all citizens.
Local media reports indicate that the bill will soon be presented in the ongoing session of the State Legislative Assembly for discussion and approval. Should it pass, Gujarat—Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state—would become the second in India, after Uttarakhand, to adopt a uniform code, following the model of Goa, which has maintained a common civil code since its time as a Portuguese colony.
The proposed legislation mandates compulsory registration of marriages and divorces for all couples, imposing a penalty of 10,000 rupees (approximately US$106) for non-compliance. While it allows marriages to be solemnized according to religious customs, it forbids polygamy, prescribing up to seven years in jail for violations. Any divorce not ratified by a court decree will also attract up to three years of imprisonment.
Even couples in live-in relationships are required to register with a designated authority and report separations. Under the bill, children born of such relationships will be recognized as legitimate, and women will have the right to claim maintenance if abandoned by their partners.
However, the bill grants a notable exemption to Scheduled Tribes, permitting them to continue following their traditional customs and practices. This selective exclusion has drawn criticism and suspicion among minority and civil rights groups.
Father Cedric Prakash, a Jesuit priest and human rights activist based in Gujarat, welcomed the stated objectives of promoting equality and women’s protection but cautioned that several ambiguities remain.
“The government’s contention of prioritizing equal rights and protection of women needs to be welcomed,” Fr. Prakash told UCA News. “However, the bill does not clarify if its common legal framework will impact the Hindu undivided family system, which enjoys specific tax benefits, among other contentious issues.”
He further questioned whether the law would simplify the adoption process for non-Hindus seeking to adopt a Hindu child—currently a bureaucratically fraught procedure. “The question ultimately is, will the new law actually be uniform for all, or is it another weapon to target religious minorities in the country?” he asked.
Similar apprehensions were echoed by Mujahid Nafees, convener of the Minority Coordination Committee in Gujarat, who described the initiative as “a targeted civil code against Christians and Muslims.” He challenged the necessity of the bill, arguing that the Indian Constitution already guarantees protection for diverse personal laws and religious traditions.
“How come tribal people are exempted from its purview? Are they not equal citizens of this country?” Nafees questioned, calling the exemption inconsistent with the stated objective of uniformity.
Muslim clerics and community leaders have also voiced alarm at the proposed restrictions on polygamy and the invalidation of religiously granted divorces, calling them direct infringements on their right to practice religion as safeguarded under the Constitution.
Supporters of the Uniform Civil Code argue it will promote gender justice, equality before law, and national unity—principles long debated since India’s independence in 1947. Critics, however, caution that the political context and selective application risk deepening religious divides rather than bridging them.
For Gujarat, a state often seen as a bellwether for national policies under the BJP, the passage of this bill could set a precedent for other states to follow. Yet for many among the state’s Christians and Muslims, the question lingers: will the promise of equality under a single code translate into fairness for all—or merely further marginalize the few?
- Raju Hamsukh with files from UCA News
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