Mizoram State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday (14 February) unanimously adopted an official resolution opposing any move to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country.

The resolution said that, “this House unanimously resolves to oppose any steps taken or proposed to be taken for the enactment of UCC in India.”

State Home Minister Lalchamliana, while moving the resolution said that the UCC if enacted “would disintegrate the country as it was an attempt to terminate the religious or social practices, customary laws, cultures and traditions of the religious minorities, including the Mizos.”

“Although Mizoram has a provision to protect its social or religious practices, customary laws, and procedures under Article 371 G, implementation of the UCC is not healthy for India as a whole,” he went on to add.

The lone BJP MLA BD Chakma argued that it was too early to oppose the UCC as it has not been enacted yet.

He added that recently Law Minister Kiren Rijiju in a written reply to a question from Mizoram Rajya Sabha member K Vanlalvena, had informed the Rajya Sabha that no decision has been taken on implementing the UCC as of now.

Notably, the north-eastern state is a tribal-dominated area where a significant majority are Christians (87.16 per cent). 

Article 371 G, a result of the peace accords signed between the Union government and the secessionist Mizo National Front (MNF) in 1986, safeguards customary laws and traditional practices of the tribes in the state.

The state has a history of political instability, with the secessionist movements being followed by the violent ethnic cleansing of the minority Bru tribe.

Most recently, the state government was widely criticised for giving shelter to Chin migrants from Myanmar, considered to be ethnically close to Mizos and fellow Christians, despite concerns over internal security threats.