Omar Abdullah Challenges BJP to Table UCC Bill in Parliament, Not States
Omar Abdullah urged the BJP to bring the Uniform Civil Code to Parliament if it has the numbers, warning against pushing it through individual states.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday pressed the BJP to introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in Parliament rather than route it through individual States, arguing that a law of such scope cannot be framed piecemeal.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Abdullah said the ruling party should test its strength in the legislature instead of advancing the measure through State assemblies. If the numbers exist, he said, Parliament is the appropriate forum — asking why the government was instead pursuing the matter across different States.
He pointed to divisions within the National Democratic Alliance, noting that not every partner was on board and that, by his account, Janata Dal (United) had indicated the code would not be implemented in Bihar. Given that resistance among its own allies, he said, the BJP may struggle to secure passage in Parliament, which he suggested could explain the State-level approach. He cautioned against bringing the UCC in "through the backdoor".
Mr. Abdullah also questioned the claim of universality. Since the BJP does not govern every State and Union Territory, he said, applying the code only in BJP-ruled States would not make it universal. Matters of this nature, he argued, should be settled by the country as a whole, and that collective will is expressed in Parliament rather than in individual States.
He added that other major legislations the BJP had promoted — including 'One Nation, One Election' and reservation-related measures — had not been brought to Parliament, and said the UCC now appeared to be following the same State-by-State route.
On the de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control, the Chief Minister called it a welcome development. Any step that lowers tension along the Line of Control or the LAC is positive, he said, especially for communities living near the frontier, and expressed hope that conditions along the LoC would improve over time.
Responding to China's praise for India's foreign policy, Mr. Abdullah said New Delhi's approach has always been independent and does not require endorsement from abroad. He warned against according too much weight to foreign commentary, whether favourable or critical, since such validation cannot be selectively embraced.
He described the BRICS summit's condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack as a success of Indian diplomacy, noting that the reference by name was significant given the presence of several of Pakistan's partners at the forum.