Guwahati, May 14 (IANS) Assam unit Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Dilip Saikia on Thursday accused the Congress of opposing the proposed implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state for “vote bank politics” and said the law would ensure equality and social harmony without harming any community.

Addressing reporters here, Dilip Saikia said the BJP’s state committee welcomed the move towards implementing the UCC in Assam and thanked Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for taking forward the proposal.

He said the Chief Minister had spoken about bringing the UCC to the state even before the elections and asserted that the move was aimed at ensuring “one nation, one law”.

“The UCC is the need of the hour. It will promote unity, equality and gender justice in the country. This law will not harm anyone and it will not lead to oppression against any section of society,” Saikia said.

Referring to the implementation of the UCC in Uttarakhand, the Assam BJP chief claimed that no major adverse reactions had emerged there after the law came into force.

He alleged that the Congress and some opposition leaders were attempting to create confusion among people regarding the UCC for political reasons.

“Congress leaders are trying to mislead the public and create divisions in society. Their politics is based on appeasement, vote-bank calculations and dividing communities,” Saikia alleged.

Without naming specific leaders initially, he later criticised senior Congress figures, including Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, for strongly opposing the proposed law.

Saikia claimed that the people of Assam had already rejected the “divisive politics” of the Congress and asserted that the opposition party was unable to understand the changing mood of the electorate in the state.

He further said the BJP would continue campaigning in favour of the UCC and maintain that the proposed law was in the larger interest of the country and Assamese society.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced that the UCC would be implemented during the upcoming Assembly session scheduled to begin on May 21.

–IANS

tdr/pgh