Kolkata: Bengal govt will not only implement Uniform Civil Code (UCC) but also bring tough laws on land jihad, love jihad and forcible conversions, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Friday, adding, “Keep the faith. Please allow us some time.” Adhikari was speaking at an event to mark the 189th birth anniversary of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram at Rabindra Sadan.Referring to the govt order making the singing of Vande Mataram mandatory in all educational institutions, the CM said, “Now, everybody is standing (to sing the song) but their lips are not moving. It will take time and soon their lips will also start moving. No anti-national activity will be allowed in the land of Rishi Aurobindo, Netaji and Syama Prasad Mookerjee.”BJP’s 2026 election manifesto for Bengal had pledged implementation of UCC “within a strict six-month window of assuming office”. It had also promised an anti-conversion legislation to “stop illegal, deceptive or forced religious conversions” and emphasised its “commitment to evict illegal encroachers from wetlands, forest reserves and govt land within a 200-day window”.On the proposed UCC bill, CM Adhikari said on Friday that Bengal will follow the procedure adopted by Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam. In all these states, committees headed by retired judges sought public opinion and stakeholder feedback before the introduction of the bill. “There is a prescribed procedure for implementation of UCC. A committee will be set up under a retired judge. The process will be the same as that adopted in Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Assam,” the CM said.Parliamentary affairs minister Shankar Ghosh said procedural steps for tabling the West Bengal UCC Bill, 2026, are underway.Opposition parties criticised the govt’s UCC initiative, saying it will lead to polarisation. Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra questioned the govt’s intent and raised concerns about its impact on minorities, tribals and personal laws. “We are very concerned about the intent of the bill. We believe it is being brought only for polarisation,” she said.State Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar said his party will oppose the legislation, arguing that a law of such significance should be preceded by extensive consultations with all communities. “We will certainly oppose UCC. India is a diverse country and its diversity must be respected. A single law may be good in principle, but requires support from all. Politics is a numbers game. While statistics may favour one side, healthy debate and discourse remain essential,” he added.
