Opposition leader accuses BJP of threatening rights of minorities, tribals and Dalits, calls for joint movement

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, September 16, 2026

Tripura Opposition leader Jitendra Chaudhury on Wednesday hit back at Chief Minister Manik Saha’s statement that the State would implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) if the Centre decided to do so, declaring that the proposed legislation would not be allowed to be implemented in Tripura.

Mr Chaudhury accused the BJP of seeking to curtail the rights of religious minorities and warned that the scope of a common civil law could eventually affect tribal and Dalit communities as well. He appealed to all political parties in the State to join hands against any move to introduce the UCC.

“The UCC will not be allowed to be implemented in Tripura,” Mr Chaudhury said while responding to questions from reporters.

He alleged that the BJP was pursuing the UCC with the objective of restricting the rights of religious minorities. He also claimed that tribal and Dalit communities could come within its ambit in the future. He did not, however, cite any specific government decision or legislative document to substantiate the claim regarding its proposed application to these communities.

Mr Chaudhury argued that India’s constitutional framework was based on the principle of “unity in diversity” and that the country’s linguistic, cultural, dietary and religious diversity was protected within the constitutional framework of fundamental rights and secularism.

He accused the BJP of attempting to alter this pluralistic framework.

“Uniform Civil Code means everyone will have to follow the tastes and practices of the dominant majority,” Mr Chaudhury said, opposing what he described as an attempt to dilute the country’s diversity.

He went further to describe the UCC as the “first step” towards turning India into a Hindu nation. He also alleged that the UCC was being used to advance what he described as the RSS’s “Hindi-Hindu-Hindustan” idea. These were political allegations, and Mr Chaudhury did not refer to any government policy document as evidence for them.

The CPM leader also raised concerns over the possible implications of a common civil law for Tripura’s tribal population. He questioned whether separate legal arrangements for areas under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) and those outside it would remain relevant if a uniform civil framework were introduced.

He said traditional practices and existing legal protections of tribal communities could come under pressure if the scope of the UCC was expanded.

Mr Chaudhury referred to statements by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on implementing the UCC in BJP-ruled States and linked them to Mr Saha’s recent position that Tripura would follow the Centre’s decision.

The Opposition leader said the CPM would oppose the UCC in the State and called for a broader political mobilisation rather than restricting the issue to party programmes.

The UCC has now emerged as another point of political confrontation in Tripura, even as political parties remain engaged in preparations for the forthcoming TTAADC village committee elections and negotiations over possible electoral alignments.

While the State government has indicated that it would implement the Centre’s decision, the Opposition has warned of resistance if the UCC is sought to be introduced in Tripura.

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