SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday threw down the gauntlet to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government, challenging it to table the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Parliament if it commands the legislative strength to pass it, rather than attempting to enforce it state by state.

Interacting with media persons, the Chief Minister asserted that a framework with nationwide ramifications cannot be enacted selectively. He underlined that Parliament remains the only legitimate constitutional forum to deliberate and decide laws of such scope.

“Not through the back door; they should bring this bill to Parliament and see whether they actually have the numbers or not,” Abdullah said.

Questioning the cohesion within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Abdullah noted that key ruling coalition partners have publicly voiced reservations regarding a uniform code.

“If their own people are not ready for this, how can they say that it should be implemented across the entire country?” he asked, adding that restricting the law to BJP-administered regions undermines any claim of uniformity.

“The whole country is not governed by the BJP. There are several states and Union Territories where other parties hold office. Applying it strictly in BJP-ruled states ensures it remains neither universal nor national,” he observed.

Troop De-escalation Along the LAC a ‘Significant Step’

Turning to regional security, the Chief Minister welcomed reports detailing a reduction in military friction and troop pullbacks between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

“It is a significant development achieved by the government,” Abdullah stated, expressing hope that similar diplomatic and tactical improvements would eventually bring calm to the Line of Control (LoC) facing Pakistan.

‘No Need for Foreign Endorsements on External Policy’

Addressing international commentary on India’s diplomatic trajectory, Abdullah cautioned against seeking external validation or overreacting to criticism from abroad.

“Our foreign policy is our own. Why do we need certificates from other countries?” he asked, warning against double standards in handling international opinion.

“We cannot cherry-pick. When faced with criticism, we warn outsiders not to meddle; but when praised, we celebrate it. We should neither crave their compliments nor fear their opposition. Our foreign policy must stay self-reliant, and that is where our focus should remain,” Abdullah concluded.