BJP should bring UCC through Parliament, not backdoor: Omar Abdullah

Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, told reporters outside his residence on Tuesday that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party should table the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill in the Indian Parliament instead of pursuing it through a patchwork of state‑level measures. He argued that a law intended to be nationwide cannot be deemed universal if it is applied only in BJP‑governed states, and he questioned the party’s strategy of using a “backdoor” approach.

The minister highlighted that key coalition partners, such as the Janata Dal United, have publicly opposed implementing the UCC in their jurisdictions, with JDU stating it will not be enforced in Bihar. Abdullah also referenced the recent BRICS summit, noting the joint condemnation of the 2025 Pahalgam attack as a diplomatic achievement, and warned against giving excessive weight to external commendations, including those from China following Prime Minister Modi’s meeting with President Xi.

Abdullah’s remarks come amid ongoing national debate over the UCC, a proposal that seeks to replace personal laws based on religion with a common set of civil statutes. Critics argue that imposing the code without broad consensus could exacerbate communal tensions, while supporters claim it would promote gender equality and legal uniformity. The chief minister’s call for a parliamentary route underscores the political complexities of securing the necessary majority in a fragmented NDA coalition.