Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday said the Bengal government would act on the BJP's core pre-poll promise of implementing a uniform civil code "to outlaw land jihad, love jihad and forced religious conversions", adding that due legal process would be followed.
Speaking to journalists after an event at College Street, he said he would share the details in the Assembly on Monday.
"There will be a UCC in Bengal. There is a specific procedure for it," he said. "It will be similar to Gujarat... and Assam. It will be done here the same way."
At another event in the evening, he said: "In future, your government will bring the uniform civil code in Bengal. It will take measures to outlaw land jihad, love jihad and forced religious conversions."
Sources said the government had decided against hasty enforcement of the UCC, given it had enough time left to meet its pre-poll deadline of enacting the code within six months of coming to power.
"Everything is ready, but the government wants to follow due process," a source said.
Instead of railroading an unvetted bill, the government might form an expert panel to scrutinise it before it faces a formal vote in the House, BJP sources said.
Suvendu's government has been accused of forcing several measures without due process, such as house demolitions without notice and border pushbacks without court nod.
“The chief minister is likely to announce this preliminary screening body first on Monday. It could be chaired by a retired high court or Supreme Court judge and aided by three or more constitutional experts,” a BJP leader said, adding that the road map could draw directly from the “Gujarat model”.
He said the committee would be expected to first collect broad public suggestions, find ways around legal hurdles, and finally submit a report to the chief minister.
“After receiving the report, the bill could be redrawn, if needed, and then introduced and passed in the House. That could happen later this year,” the BJP leader said.
Sources said the Bengal UCC would seek to enforce strict statutory gender parity in ancestral property matters, outlaw polygamy and introduce a legal shield against child marriage by invalidating underage unions regardless of customary religioussanctions.
It is also likely to stipulate the registration of live-in relationships with district magistrates, mandating prison terms for non-compliance.
“The previous government’s objectives were appeasement, corruption, nepotism and dragging Bengal backwards,” Suvendu said at College Street.
“Nationalism, patriotism... such things were not on their agenda. Now that a nationalist government has come to power here, everything willbe done.”
The Mamata-led Trinamool issued a statement in the evening, questioning the BJP’s intent.
“India’s strength lies in combining equality with respect for diversity. Reform cannot be imposed; it must be built through dialogue, trust and constitutional values,”it said.
“We support the constitutional ideals of equality, dignity and justice for every citizen. No personal law should perpetuate discrimination.
“Our concern is on the intent of the BJP, the agenda of the BJP and the politics of the BJP. Whether the BJP is pursuing these ideals sincerely or using the uniform civil code as a political instrument to deepen social divisions and polarise communities....
“The BJP is known for exploiting sensitive issues for political gain. The BJP has not provided any assurance about its political agenda. There must be greater consultation with all stakeholders such as vulnerable groups and Adivasi communities.”
The Suvendu government is also expected to introduce on Monday a stringent West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill, 2026, that the Opposition parties believe can be misused against the administration’s opponents and critics.
The bill empowers police to keep “suspected gang elements” under prolonged preventive detention and order the immediate confiscation and public auction of properties linked to organised crime and administrative corruption.
This, too, the Mamata-led Trinamool plans to fight. The Left and the Congresstoo are opposed to both proposed legislations and so, apparently, is the Ritabrata Banerjee-helmed rebel Trinamool bloc.
“We are firmly opposed to both the UCC proposal and the other legislation,” Ritabrata, the leader of the Opposition, told this newspaper.
“These are eerily similar to the infamous laws of Germany in the dark 1930s, and there are no guarantees or safeguards against their misuse for targeted persecution. We are going to take an uncompromising stand.”