By: IANS
Srinagar, Oct 6: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday challenged the BJP to bring the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) legislation to Parliament for debate and passage, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir would not implement it.
“If you have the courage, bring a law in Parliament. Debate it in Parliament. See if it passes in Parliament or not,” Omar told reporters in Srinagar, questioning the BJP’s ability to secure the numbers required to pass the legislation.
He said the UCC could not be uniform if several states refused to implement it, maintaining that his government would not introduce the proposed code in J&K.
The Chief Minister’s remarks come amid the debate over a common set of personal laws governing matters such as marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance and succession, replacing separate laws followed by different religious communities.
Under Article 44 of the Constitution, the State is expected to endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code for citizens. The provision, however, is part of the Directive Principles of State Policy and is not directly enforceable by courts.
Separately, Omar questioned the Centre’s recent action against Rohingyas living in Jammu and Kashmir, describing the move as strange and arguing that they were being targeted without reason.
“People who have come from Bangladesh without permission, it is a different matter for them. But the Rohingyas, who are being targeted for no reason, when they were deported from their country, we gave them a place here,” he said.
He added that they had been allowed to stay in J&K until conditions in their country improved, but said the decision to take action against them was beyond the jurisdiction of his government.
“But we do not have it in our hands. This is the Government of India,” he said.
The remarks came a day after 250 Bangladeshi nationals, found to be illegally staying in Jammu and Kashmir, were flown to West Bengal in an Indian Air Force aircraft for deportation to Bangladesh.
