“Won’t Accept UCC”: Maulana Ahmed Syed Gobindapuri’s Strong Message

Prominent Islamic scholar and religious orator Maulana Ahmed Syed Gobindapuri on Saturday (23 May) strongly opposed the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill that is set to be tabled in the Assam Assembly on May 26, stating that he and his supporters “will not accept this at all” and would continue protesting against it “till the last breath”.

Addressing a gathering, Gobindapuri said India is a spiritual and religiously diverse country where people from Hindu, Muslim, Christian and indigenous tribal communities have been following their own personal laws and traditions for generations. He alleged that the proposed UCC would violate these personal laws and negatively affect the cultural identity of different communities.

Appealing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the cleric urged them not to implement or pass the bill. He announced that he has started actively opposing the proposed law from Saturday onwards and claimed that the movement would continue through future generations as well.

Gobindapuri further said that a protest programme would be organised at Jantar Mantar in Delhi in the near future against the proposed legislation. He claimed that more than 20 MPs opposing the UCC may join the protest and alleged that nearly 1,000 peaceful demonstrations would be organised across the country.

He repeatedly stressed that the protests would remain peaceful and said he was willing to hold discussions with Mohan Bhagwat to maintain communal harmony. He also stated that he would even visit the Chief Minister’s residence if it helped in maintaining peace.

During his speech, Gobindapuri also appealed to Prime Minister Modi to declare the cow as the national animal of India. He said that if such a proposal is brought in Parliament, they would support it. He further stated that cow sacrifice is not compulsory for Qurbani.

The Assam government is set to introduce the proposed UCC Bill during a special Assembly session running from May 21 to May 26. The draft legislation, already approved by the state cabinet, aims to standardise matters related to marriage, divorce, compulsory marriage registration and live-in relationships. Tribal communities in Assam have been exempted from the proposed law to protect indigenous customs and traditions.

The proposed bill also seeks to regulate polygamy, raise the legal age of marriage and introduce stricter punishment for entering into a second marriage without legally dissolving the first. Opposition parties have already indicated that they would oppose the bill in the Assembly.