Is it ‘appropriate’ for Army to get involved in ‘divisive issue’ of UCC, asks Omar

Srinagar, Mar 23 (PTI) National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Saturday questioned the Indian Army getting involved in a “divisive” issue like the Uniform Civil Code in a “sensitive” place like Kashmir.

The Army is scheduled to organise a legal awareness seminar on the subject “Navigating legal frontiers: Understanding Indian Penal Code 2023 and the quest for Uniform Civil Code”.

The seminar is scheduled for March 26 at the Kashmir University Auditorium.

“Is it appropriate for the Indian Army to get involved in the divisive issue of the uniform civil code & that too in a sensitive area like Kashmir? There is a reason the Indian Army has remained apolitical & areligious. This ill-advised UCC seminar is a threat to both these basic tenets,” Abdullah said in a post on X.

He said going ahead with the seminar risks opening up the army to charges of getting involved in the “murky world” of politics coupled with “interfering” in religious matters.

The invite for the seminar to the mediapersons was sent by Srinagar-based PRO Defence on behalf of General Officer Commanding HQ 31 Sub Area, Major General PBS Lamba.