Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the BJP should introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in Parliament if it has the numbers to pass it, instead of pushing it through individual states.
Omar Abdullah's statement came two days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that BJP-led NDA governments in 21 states would introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) before 2029.
"I fail to understand why the BJP is implementing the UCC through different states," Omar Abdullah said, challenging the BJP to introduce a Bill in Parliament in this regard.
"If you have the numbers, bring it to Parliament," he said, pointing out that not everyone within the NDA agrees with the proposal.
"According to my information, even the Janata Dal (United) has raised its hand and said this won't be implemented in Bihar," Omar Abdullah said while interacting with media persons in Srinagar.
He said a measure of such significance should be decided by Parliament, which represents the country as a whole.
"Something of this nature should not be decided by individual states. It has to be decided by the country as a whole," Abdullah said.
"The country as a whole is represented not in the states but in Parliament. Let the legislation come to Parliament."
Abdullah also questioned why the government was pursuing the UCC through the states when other major legislative proposals had been discussed in the context of Parliament.
"So far, whenever they have talked about legislation in Parliament, whether it is One Nation, One Election or reservation, they have not brought it to Parliament," he said. "Now, with this too, they are talking about bringing it to the states. Bring it to Parliament and let us see whether you can pass it."
De-escalation along LAC
On the de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Abdullah said it was a welcome step.
"Anything that reduces tension on the Line of Control or the Line of Actual Control is a good step, particularly for those people who live close to it. We know how difficult it is for people living near the LoC or LAC. Similarly, we hope that, over time, things will also get better along the Line of Control," he said.
NC leader Shammi Oberoi opposes UCC move
Earlier on Monday, National Conference (NC) treasurer and Rajya Sabha member Shammi Oberoi opposed the reported move to implement the UCC in 21 states, alleging that such a step could affect the country's religious and cultural diversity.
Addressing reporters at the party headquarters in Srinagar, Oberoi said the NC remained opposed to the imposition of a Uniform Civil Code and argued that the proposed legislation could interfere with the personal laws, religious practices and traditional customs of different communities.
He claimed that India's strength lies in its pluralistic society and diverse religious, cultural and linguistic traditions and said constitutional safeguards relating to religious customs and personal matters should be respected.
Oberoi urged the Central Government to ensure wider consultations before proceeding with any legislation on the issue. He called for an all-party meeting to facilitate discussion and consensus-building and cautioned against what he described as attempts to introduce the law without broader parliamentary debate.
UCC will be introduced in NDA-ruled states before 2029: Amit Shah
On Sunday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that BJP-led NDA governments in 21 states would introduce the UCC before 2029.
"Triple talaq has been abolished, giving Muslim women equal rights. We have introduced the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in several states and I am confident that in the 21 BJP-NDA-ruled states, we will introduce the UCC before 2029," Shah said.
He said the government had strengthened the country's criminal justice system through the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and claimed that several states had recorded a 30 per cent increase in their conviction rates in a single year.
He also said a system was being established to ensure that justice could be delivered within three years.
On national security, Shah said the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A had been achieved without a single drop of blood being shed or a bullet being fired and asserted that Kashmir was now fully integrated with India.
