New Delhi: Union home minister Amit Shah on September 13 announced that the government’s resolve is to enforce the Uniform Civil Code in states ruled by the National Democratic Alliance before the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.While Shah’s Bharatiya Janata Party promised the UCC in its 2024 election manifesto, the home minister’s assertion centred on federal states this time. Each state in India, ruled by the NDA or opposition parties, has an assembly where new bills introduced by the government are put to vote.While a uniform set of laws governing civil life has long since been considered a part of social reform in India, under the BJP, the spectre and implementation of a UCC has often been weaponised to diminish and penalise Muslims, Christians and women.Shah’s words in Mumbai, quoted by Indian Express among other outlets, reflects the use of the UCC in tandem with the BJP governments other controversial legislation, including the removal of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and the abolition of triple talaq.“Our government abolished the triple talaq to ensure equal rights for Muslim women. We scrapped Article 370 without shedding a drop of blood and firing a bullet. Kashmir is an integral part of India… Some states have introduced a UCC. It is our resolve to enforce the UCC in all 21 states ruled by the BJP-led before the 2029 Lok Sabha polls,” he said.He added that the government was still discussing the preparation of the National Register of Citizens with “its alliance partners and various groups in Manipur.”Shah also spoke of “tackling Naxalism ruthlessly.”“We have ruthlessly tackled Naxalism and adopted a zero-tolerance policy on terrorism. Whether it was the surgical strike or Operation Sindoor, the government has shown grit and determination to fight enemies without compromise,” he added.Several questions abound the “end of Naxalism” on Shah’s watch, including those on the futures of the former cadres and accountability of the thousands of tribal killings in the past two decades.Shah also claimed that as home minister, he cannot “divulge the details of action” against undocumented families. “All I can say is we will identify each and every individual who has illegally sneaked inside. We will nab and deport illegal Bangladeshi. This much is for sure,” he claimed.Reports of Indian citizens being pushed into Bangladesh and facing arrest there have flooded media spaces since Shah’s crackdown began.