Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha has stirred a political storm by voicing support for a national Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and a countrywide ban on non-vegetarian food, including beef. His comments stand in stark contrast to the stance of his party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi on Tuesday, Sinha, popularly known as “Shotgun” to his fans, said, “The implementation of UCC in Uttarakhand is commendable at first glance. I believe the UCC should be enforced nationwide, and I’m confident many will agree with me. However, there are intricate details and loopholes to address.”
He added, “Not just beef, but all forms of non-vegetarian food should be banned across the country. That said, rules applicable in North India cannot necessarily be imposed in the Northeastern states. A thorough all-party discussion is essential before drafting the UCC.”
The BJP-led government in Uttarakhand became the first state in India to implement a uniform civil code on January 27. Gujarat has since formed a five-member committee, headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Desai, to draft a similar bill.
Although the BJP has long advocated for a national UCC, the recent trend of state-specific implementation has drawn criticism, with opponents arguing it contradicts the principle of uniformity.
Sinha’s remarks have put him at odds with his party chief, Mamata Banerjee, who has been a vocal critic of the UCC.
Banerjee has consistently opposed the UCC, describing it as divisive and unnecessary. During the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign, she strongly criticized the BJP’s push for the UCC, accusing the party of using it as a political tool to polarize voters.
At an Eid gathering in April 2024, Banerjee declared, “As long as I’m alive, I will not allow a UCC in Bengal. I am prepared to shed blood to fight against it.”
In another rally on April 29, she accused the BJP of stirring communal tensions through the UCC, saying, “This is nothing but political rhetoric. The UCC will not benefit Hindus in any way.”
Banerjee also spoke out against restrictions on dietary choices, saying, “Why should they dictate what we eat? Have we ever told them not to eat dhokla, idli, or dosa? They are shutting down shops in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. Should one party decide what we eat, wear, and how we live?”
At a rally in Kolkata, she remarked, “Modi says stop eating fish, meat, and eggs. What are we supposed to eat then? Mushrooms or barley? I promise to fight this interference with our personal choices.”
She emphasized that dietary preferences should remain personal. “People will eat what they want. Vegetarians will eat vegetarian food, and non-vegetarians will eat non-vegetarian food. It’s a matter of personal choice.”
Shatrughan Sinha, once a BJP MP from Patna Sahib in Bihar, left the party in 2022 to join the Trinamool Congress. Two years later, he contested the Asansol Lok Sabha seat, which had been held by the BJP for a decade. Sinha’s victory marked the first time the TMC won the seat, capitalizing on the significant Hindi-speaking population in the region.
Asansol’s demographic includes a large number of migrants from Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh who originally came to work in the coal mines. Sinha’s Bihari roots and Bollywood fame helped the TMC secure a foothold in this key constituency.
Sinha’s recent comments on the UCC and non-vegetarian food bans have created friction within the TMC, as they contradict the party’s official stance. Banerjee’s strong opposition to the UCC reflects her commitment to protecting regional and cultural diversity, while Sinha’s remarks align more closely with BJP’s agenda.
This divergence highlights potential ideological challenges within the TMC as it seeks to balance individual opinions with its broader political narrative. For now, Sinha’s controversial statements have added fuel to the ongoing national debate over the UCC and dietary restrictions.