On January 28, Solène Ferreira, a doctoral student in anthropology and religious studies, did us the honor of opening the first FRACA conference of 2026. The conference focused on a brilliantly conducted critical analysis of the Civil Code that came into force on January 27, 2025, in the province of North India, considered a test bed for a pan-Indian civil code. Solène's analysis highlighted two issues raised by the new code, which is intended to standardize civil law for all religious communities in the country. The first concerns the reconciliation of civil equality and respect for religious freedom. The second relates to reactions to the obligation to register cohabiting relationships, in connection with individual freedom and privacy. Based on a legal examination of three articles of the Code, Solène highlighted the link between the discourse of standardization and the nationalist political discourse of national unity of the BJP, a far-right Hindu party. Historically governed by separate personal law regimes, all religious communities, including 13.9% who identify as Muslim (the second largest community after the Hindu community, which accounts for 83%), are now subject to a civil code that is more focused on Hindu values than on universal principles.

The Chair would like to warmly thank researcher Solène Ferreira for this enlightening presentation on the political issues related to the standardization of law in a multicultural society.