‘Not everyone in NDA agrees’: Omar Abdullah questions Centre’s UCC plan amid JD(U)’s opposition | India News
NEW DELHI: Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday questioned the Centre’s plan to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in all 21 BJP-led NDA-ruled states before 2029, citing the Janata Dal (United)’s opposition to implementing the law in Bihar and questioning whether the government can secure the numbers to pass it in Parliament.Abdullah’s remarks came a day after JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak said the party was opposed to implementing the UCC in Bihar, despite supporting the UCC Bill in Parliament. The JD(U), which has 12 Lok Sabha MPs, is a key NDA ally and shares power with the BJP in Bihar.Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah also questioned the state-wise rollout of the UCC, arguing that civil legislation should be dealt with by Parliament.“In this regard, the National Conference has issued its statement. Our Rajya Sabha MP Shammi Oberoi has said that it is Parliament’s job to do this. Why are you doing it from different states? Not everyone in their NDA agrees with this. JDU has straight-up raised its hands and said it won’t be implemented in Bihar. If their own people aren’t ready for UCC, how can these people say that it should be implemented across the entire country? I don’t think these people will be able to pass it in Parliament,” Abdullah said.Rajak said on Monday that the party’s position on implementing the UCC in Bihar remained unchanged, despite its support for the legislation in Parliament.“Our stand on the issue was made clear by our leader way back. He had said that although our party was supporting the UCC Bill in the Parliament, it was not in favour of implementing the same in Bihar,” Rajak said.Rejecting suggestions that the party’s position could change after BJP leader Samrat Choudhary became Bihar chief minister, Rajak said the state government depended on its allies.“The chief minister may be of the BJP but the government is being run with the help of allies… our stand is clear, the question of implementing UCC in Bihar does not arise,” he said.JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha said the party would soon meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the implementation of the UCC in states.“We will soon meet Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the issue,” Jha told PTI.JD(U) legislature party leader and minister Shrawon Kumar, meanwhile, said the party’s spokespersons would comment on the issue.The JD(U) position came a day after Shah said NDA governments in 21 states would introduce the UCC before 2029.Addressing a press conference in Mumbai on Sunday, Shah said the government had already introduced the UCC in several states and expressed confidence that it would be extended to all 21 BJP-NDA ruled states before 2029.“We introduced the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in several states. I am confident that we will implement the UCC in all 21 states governed by the BJP-led NDA before 2029. Operations such as the surgical strikes, air strikes, and Operation Sindoor have established a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism, while security has been prioritised across various sectors,” Shah said.Abdullah also welcomed the mention and condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack in the Brics New Delhi Declaration, calling it a success for India’s foreign policy.“That is something for the government of India, and particularly for the foreign ministry, to talk about. The fact that Pahalgam itself was condemned is a big thing. Please see how many allies of Pakistan were in that room. Therefore, for even Pahalgam to be mentioned by name, that in itself is a success of our foreign policy,” Abdullah remarked.
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On the ministry of defence’s report on the operational situation along the Northern Front, Abdullah backed measures aimed at reducing tensions and troop deployments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Line of Control (LoC).“Anything that reduces tension along 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 that living near the LoC or LAC is extremely difficult for people. If there is any step that reduces deployments along the Line of Actual Control, that is a good step. Similarly, we hope that, over time, things will also get better along the Line of Control,” he added.
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