The BJP has developed a strategy to engage with Muslims and gain their support for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), despite the community's strong opposition to the concept. The party plans to organize discussions with Muslim intellectuals and opinion leaders, focusing on three areas where they believe the UCC will benefit women: adoption, inheritance, and gender equality.
While organizations like the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) view the UCC as a threat to religious freedom, the BJP denies such claims. Jamal Siddiqui, the chief of BJP Minority Morcha, stated that there would be no alteration to customary laws followed by different communities and religions. He also emphasized that the UCC would standardize adoption laws and improve property rights for Muslim women, similar to the positive impact seen with the abolition of triple talaq.
The BJP sees the UCC as a crucial unfinished agenda, following the construction of the Ram Temple and the revocation of Article 370 granting special status to Jammu & Kashmir. As a first step, Uttarakhand has established a panel led by retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai to draft the UCC, and the Law Commission has issued a public notice to gather opinions on the potential code.
Based on these consultations and discussions with various communities, the Modi government will determine whether to pursue the UCC before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections or postpone it for the time being. Siddiqui expressed confidence in implementing the UCC, drawing a parallel with the relatively smooth abrogation of Article 370.