West Bengal Assembly: From UCC to OBC reservation, many important bills will be introduced in the Bengal Assembly tomorrow.

West Bengal Assembly: Monday is going to be a very important and turbulent day in the politics of West Bengal. The BJP government, which came to power in the state after ending the 15-year rule of Trinamool Congress, is going to take steps towards fulfilling its biggest and politically sensitive promises. Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari is going to present four important bills in the Assembly on Monday as per the pre-planned programme.

These bills include the Backward Classes Commission Amendment Bill, two bills related to curbing extortion and goons and the OBC Reservation Amendment Bill. But at this time the biggest discussion and speculation is about whether the government will also present a bill related to Uniform Civil Code i.e. UCC in the Assembly on Monday itself. If this bill is presented and passed in the Bengal Assembly on Monday, West Bengal will become the fourth state in the country where Uniform Civil Code will be implemented.

BJP’s big election promise

During the campaign for the assembly elections, BJP had given maximum emphasis on the fact that uniform civil law should apply to all the citizens of the state. While releasing the election manifesto, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had promised the people of Bengal that UCC would be implemented in the state within 6 months of the formation of the BJP government. The government believes that this step is being taken with the aim of ensuring equality for all before the law, regardless of religion.

This proposed law will create a uniform legal framework by removing personal laws based on religion in family matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance, inheritance and adoption. Although the Home Minister had set a time limit of 6 months for this, the government led by Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari seems ready to bring it in the House even before two months of its tenure.

Indications from Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari

Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari on Friday had formally given a clear indication of introducing UCC during the current session itself. While talking to the media, he had said that just as UCC was implemented in Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Assam by following a set legal procedure, in the same way it will be implemented in West Bengal also. The Chief Minister had said that he will give complete information about this to the Assembly on Monday. After this statement of Shubhendu Adhikari, it is being believed in the political circles that the BJP government wants to move forward very fast on its core agenda.

Protection of rights of tribal society

There were some apprehensions in the tribal community of the state regarding this big law, to remove which BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya has clarified the situation. He wrote on social media on Saturday that BJP’s stand on UCC has always been clear and it is part of the party’s political commitment. He assured that the Scheduled Tribes recognized under Articles 366 (25) and 342 of the Constitution will be kept out of the scope of this law, due to which their traditional customs and special rights will be fully protected. Along with this, he also rejected those rumors in which it was being said that this law is related to controlling the size of the family or the number of children.

Opposition’s siege and strategy

On the other hand, the opposition parties have prepared a big strategy to corner the government on this entire issue. Former Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, in a meeting with party MLAs and senior leaders, has given clear instructions that they should strongly oppose this bill inside and outside the Assembly. TMC argues that this proposal is against social consensus and the pluralistic character of India. Apart from this, the opposition is also strongly opposing two other bills related to curbing extortion and goons, under which any accused can be kept in custody for one year. TMC has called it very strict and an attack on democracy.

Opposition unites in assembly

If the Uniform Civil Code Bill is presented in the House on Monday, the opposition will unite and stop the government. Along with the rebel Trinamool camp led by Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, Aam Janata Unnayan Party President Humayun Kabir, CPI(M) MLA Mustafizur Rahman Rana, Indian Secular Front’s Naushad Siddiqui and Congress MLAs have also stood against this bill. A vigorous debate can be seen between the ruling party and the opposition in this session of the Assembly.

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