Agartala: Tripura Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury on Wednesday opposed any move to introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state, raising concerns over its possible implications for religious minorities and communities governed by customary practices.

His remarks came a day after Chief Minister Manik Saha said Tripura would implement the UCC if the Centre issued a direction, while indicating that tribal areas under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) could be exempted.

Chaudhury, a CPI(M) leader, said his party had opposed the UCC from the outset and questioned how a common civil law would apply in a state with diverse religious, cultural and customary practices. He said India’s constitutional framework recognises the country’s diversity and alleged that the proposed code could have a disproportionate impact on Muslims and other minority communities.

“If this is an attack on Muslims today, tomorrow it could be on tribals, the day after tomorrow on Dalits, and then on other minorities based on their language, culture and other identities,” he said. Chaudhury also highlighted the diversity among Tripura’s tribal and indigenous communities, noting that different groups follow Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism and traditional faiths.

He questioned how a uniform civil framework would accommodate differences in social and customary practices, including those between areas governed by the TTAADC and regions outside its jurisdiction.The UCC debate in Tripura has intensified after Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the BJP-led NDA governments in 21 states would introduce the code before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

Chaudhury said the CPI(M) would oppose any move to implement the UCC in Tripura and called on political parties, social organisations, cultural institutions and people from different sections of society to engage with the issue. “We have no conflict with Hindus or Hinduism. Our opposition is to the exploitation of religious sentiments for political purposes,” he said.

He urged stakeholders to consider Tripura’s social and cultural diversity while examining any proposal related to the UCC.