Amit Shah Assures Tribals of UCC Exemption at Delhi ‘Mahakumbh’

NEW DELHI — In a major outreach to India’s indigenous populations, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has categorically stated that any proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will not apply to the nation’s Scheduled Tribes.

Addressing a massive gathering at New Delhi’s Red Fort on Sunday, Shah sought to dispel growing anxieties regarding the sweeping legal framework, framing the pushback against the UCC as a deliberate campaign of misinformation aimed at dividing the community.

“There is a conspiracy under way to send the message that the UCC will take away tribal communities’ culture and way of life,” Shah declared at the ‘Janjati Sanskritik Samagam,’ an event he characterized as a “Janjatiya Mahakumbh.”

An Unequivocal Guarantee

Speaking directly to the tribal representatives present, the Home Minister delivered an ironclad guarantee from the central government.

“At this Mahakumbh here today, as the Home Minister of the Narendra Modi-led government, I am telling you in no uncertain terms that the UCC will not apply anywhere in tribal areas and to any tribal person, and it will not encroach upon any tribal rights,” Shah stated.

To underscore his point, he cited the recent frameworks advanced in BJP-ruled states like Uttarakhand and Gujarat, noting that explicit exemptions were carved out to protect customary tribal practices and laws.

The Push for Legislative Changes

While Shah focused heavily on reassuring the attendees about the UCC, the underlying themes of the event pointed toward broader, potentially contentious legislative demands from the organizers.

The gathering was spearheaded by the Janjati Suraksha Manch and the Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram—both affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Billed as a platform to mobilize for the protection of tribal faith, culture, and traditions, the leadership of both organizations used the stage to push for significant constitutional and legal amendments.

Specifically, the organizers are demanding:

• Religious Criteria for ST Status: An amendment to introduce a religious criterion for Scheduled Tribe classification, mirroring the existing rules for Scheduled Castes. This move is largely aimed at delisting tribals who have converted to other religions.
• Amendments to PESA: Changes to the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act to mandate that only individuals who adhere to traditional indigenous faiths and cultures be permitted to serve as members of traditional Gram Sabhas.