- Assam Cabinet approves Uniform Civil Code, excluding tribal communities.
- UCC will regulate marriage, inheritance, and live-in relationships.
- Cabinet forms task force for two lakh jobs in five years.
In the first Cabinet meeting after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) returned to power in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday approved the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state.
The Chief Minister announced that the UCC Bill will be introduced in the new Assembly on May 26.
Addressing a press conference after the Cabinet meeting, Sarma said the decision was in line with the BJP’s election promise.
“Already, Uttarakhand, Goa and Gujarat have passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Today, the Assam Cabinet has also passed the Uniform Civil Code. We have customised it to the requirements of Assam,” he said.
Tribal Population Exempted From UCC
The Assam Chief Minister said tribal communities would remain outside the scope of the proposed law.
“We have completely exempted the tribal population from the purview of the Uniform Civil Code. We have also kept all rituals, traditions and customs practised by the people of Assam outside the scope of the Uniform Civil Code. So customs, rituals and traditions will not be part of the Uniform Civil Code,” Sarma said.
He added that the UCC would regulate issues related to inheritance, marriage, live-in relationships and the mandatory registration of marriages and divorces.
“The UCC Bill will be laid before the Assembly on May 26. So this is one of the major decisions we have adopted in today’s Cabinet,” he said.
Cabinet Approves Roadmap For Two Lakh Jobs
The first Cabinet meeting, chaired by Himanta Biswa Sarma, also decided that the BJP’s election manifesto would serve as the guiding framework for governance over the next five years.
In another key decision, the Cabinet approved the formation of a task force headed by the Chief Secretary to prepare a roadmap for creating two lakh jobs over the next five years. The move is also part of the BJP’s election commitments.
Congress Attacks Himanta Over FIR Against Pawan Khera
Meanwhile, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi criticised the FIR filed by the family of Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging it was aimed at silencing discussions around the Chief Minister’s alleged illegal assets.
Referring to Congress leader Pawan Khera being summoned by Assam Police in Guwahati, Gogoi said Khera appeared before the police station at 10 am and was cooperating with the legal process.
“The FIR filed by the family of Himanta Biswa Sarma, on the basis of that, Assam Police had summoned Pawan Khera today in Guwahati, he was present at the PS at 10 am, he is following the legal process. The intention of this FIR is to dissuade people from talking about illegal assets of Himanta Biswa Sarma,” Gogoi said.
He further alleged that the BJP was attempting to intimidate the Congress through investigative agencies.
“If the BJP, Himanta Biswa Sarma think that such FIR would intimidate Congress, then it is their mistake. We don’t expect the BJP to take action, they are like a washing machine,” Gogoi said.
In another statement, the Assam Congress chief said, “The FIR from Himanta Biswa Sarma is aimed at silencing discussion on his alleged illegal wealth and property. But the people already know, and they do not trust their claims. If the BJP thinks Congress will be intimidated into silence, they are mistaken. Agencies like CBI, Income Tax, and ED are used against opponents.”
