Ahmedabad, March 21 (IANS) Protests broke out outside the Jama Masjid in Ahmedabad on Saturday as workers from the All India Majlis‑e‑Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) demonstrated against the Gujarat government’s proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, which is scheduled to be taken up for debate next week.
The demonstration, held on the day of Eid al-Fitr, took place without prior police permission.
Protesters carried banners reading “Remove UCC, Save the Nation” and “Repeal UCC”, and chanted slogans opposing the Bill.
Several participants said they were objecting to provisions they believe encourage live‑in relationships and conflict with Islamic Sharia law.
One protester was quoted as saying that their “Sharia does not allow it” and that the government should withdraw the legislation.
Police intervened shortly after the protest began and detained 12-13 individuals present to enforce public order.
The Bill, formally titled the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code, 2026, will be tabled next week after a high‑level committee submitted its draft report to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
The committee, chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai, was constituted to study the implementation of a uniform civil code in the state and to draft a legislative framework governing key personal law matters across communities.
Government officials have stated that the Bill aims to provide a common legal framework for marriage, divorce, succession, inheritance and live‑in relationships for all residents of Gujarat, irrespective of religion, caste or creed.
It proposes mandatory registration of live‑in relationships and includes provisions on maintenance rights for partners, equal liability for child‑rearing, and penalties for non‑compliance with certain requirements.
It also seeks to standardise personal law matters, modelled in part on the Uniform Civil Code Act recently enacted in Uttarakhand.
Following a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, government spokesperson and minister Jitu Vaghani said the Bill will be taken up for further discussion in the House, adding that “everyone would be given an opportunity to express their views”.
He described the legislation as “very important” for ensuring equal rights for citizens.
Officials have confirmed that the UCC Bill will be taken up for discussion and possible passage on March 24, a day before the conclusion of the ongoing Budget session.
Police maintained heightened security around the mosque and in other sensitive areas of the city during the Eid celebrations to prevent any escalation of tensions following the protest.
–IANS
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