Vadodara lawyers oppose Uniform Civil Code, call it a targeted move against minorities
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A group of advocates from Vadodara District Court staged a protest on Tuesday, raising strong objections against the proposed implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Gujarat.
The lawyers submitted a memorandum to the District Collector, urging the state government to halt its push for the UCC, claiming it offers “no real benefit” and disproportionately targets minority communities.
Clad in their court attire, the protesting advocates criticised the ruling BJP, accusing it of leveraging its majority to force through the legislation. They asserted that the UCC would infringe upon the personal laws currently available to minority communities, particularly Muslims, under the Shariat law.
Senior Advocate Ranjitsinh Rathod stated that such legislation must not be imposed without proper dialogue and expert consultation. “Unless legal experts speak out, the government won’t understand the implications. The UCC has already faced massive opposition - crores protested in 2018, forcing the government to retreat. A Law Commission was formed in 2022, yet no report has been shared with the public,” he said.
Rathod further questioned the necessity of the UCC, quoting Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s view that it should be voluntary and not enforced. “The move seems like a direct attack on minorities,” he added, criticising the contradiction between celebrating Ambedkar's legacy and promoting a law he believed should not be mandatory.
The memorandum demanded the disbanding of the Gujarat UCC Committee and an immediate end to the state's push for UCC enforcement.
Advocate Junaid Saiyyed raised concerns over the role of Retired Justice Ranjana Desai, chairperson of the Gujarat UCC Committee, who was instrumental in the implementation of the UCC in Uttarakhand. “We don’t want Gujarat to follow the same path, especially when public sentiment and feedback are being ignored,” he said.
District Collector Anil Dhameliya confirmed that the memorandum was received and will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for further consideration.
