BHOPAL: In a landmark yet highly contentious development, the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill 2026 on Tuesday amid massive uproar and repeated adjournments.
The ruling BJP pushed the Bill through after heated debates, marking a significant step towards implementing 'One Nation, One Law' in the state.
The proceedings were stormy from the outset. As soon as Minister Gautam Tetwal moved a motion to discuss the Bill and BJP MLA Sitaram Sharma began addressing the House, Congress MLAs stormed the well, raising slogans and demanding that the legislation be referred to a Select Committee.
They also insisted on immediate implementation of 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) alongside the UCC.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav took charge of the situation, leading BJP MLAs in chants of “Jai Shri Ram”. He declared that separate religious laws would no longer prevail in Madhya Pradesh.
“From Ram to Rahim and Anthony to Akbar, everyone will now be governed by a single constitution,” the Chief Minister asserted.
He claimed that 76 per cent of Muslim women and 40 per cent of Muslim men supported the UCC and accused the opposition of indulging in appeasement politics.
Congress MLA Arif Masood strongly opposed the Bill, calling it inconsistent and rushed. He argued that Article 29 of the Constitution protects the cultural rights of minorities and demanded similar exemptions for Muslims as those granted to Scheduled Tribes.
“Disputes between husbands and wives are being shifted from civil to criminal domain. Why this hurry? The Bill should be sent to a Select Committee,” Masood demanded.
Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar echoed these concerns, prioritising 27 per cent OBC reservation over the UCC and accusing the government of neglecting backward classes.
Several BJP MLAs countered aggressively. Rameshwar Sharma alleged that Congress was opposing Hindus, Indians, and tribals.
Minister Prahlad Patel questioned whether the Congress party wanted to alienate tribals from their culture.
Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya defended the Bill, stating it was shaped by public opinion from over one million people and advanced the principle of 'One Nation, One Law'.
Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar repeatedly urged members to maintain decorum and engage in constructive debate, describing the UCC as a historic Bill.
However, the House had to be adjourned multiple times -- including two short breaks of 15 and 10 minutes -- due to intense sloganeering and opposition's walkouts.
After the uproar subsided, the ruling party successfully passed the Bill with a voice vote.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav hailed the passage as a historic moment that would end discrimination and bring uniformity in personal laws.
He noted that Madhya Pradesh would now join Goa, Uttarakhand, and Assam in implementing the UCC.
The passage of the Bill has deepened the political divide in the state. While the BJP celebrates it as a major reform, the Congress has criticised it as targeting a specific community and ignoring pressing issues like OBC reservations.
The development is likely to have far-reaching implications for social harmony and politics in Madhya Pradesh.
--IANS
