Army cancels seminar on UCC after backlash from NC, PDP

PTI

Naseer Ganai

Srinagar, March 23

After facing criticism from political parties, the Army on Saturday cancelled a seminar that was aimed at creating awareness about the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and other issues. Late on Friday evening, the Army had sent invitations to media houses for the seminar on ‘Navigating legal frontiers: Understanding Indian Penal Code 2023 and the quest for Uniform Civil Code”. The seminar was to be conducted at the Kashmir University Auditorium on March 26. Law Secretary Achal Sethi was scheduled to present a valedictory address. The Chief Justice of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh had to preside over as chief guest and Major General PBS Lambha, GOC, 31 Sub Area, was to present vote of thanks.

Code of conduct

• The Army had planned a seminar in Srinagar on March 26 to create awareness on Uniform Civil Code and other issues. Now, it says the event has been cancelled due to model code of conduct.
• The Chief Justice of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh was to preside over as chief guest.

Questioning the move, ex-CM and National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah said, “Is it appropriate for the Army to get involved in the divisive issue of the Uniform Civil Code and that too in a sensitive area like Kashmir?”

“There is a reason the Army has remained apolitical and areligious. This ill-advised UCC seminar is a threat to both these basic tenets. Going ahead with this risks opening up the Army to charges of getting involved in the murky world of politics coupled with interfering in religious matters,” Omar tweeted.

It’s interference

This is continuation of the trend of Naya Kashmir and Akhir Kab Tak campaigns in which the Army is seen playing a partisan role and directly interfering in political affairs. —Najmus Saqib, PDP Spokesperson

Not appropriate

Is it appropriate for the Army to get involved in the divisive issue of the Uniform Civil Code and that too in a sensitive area like Kashmir? —Omar Abdullah, National Conference Vice-president

One of the topics of the legal awareness seminar was themed ‘Legal pluralism to discuss the challenges and benefits of moving from a system of diverse personal laws to a uniform legal code considering the concept of legal pluralism’. Another topic was ‘Secularism and social harmony, explore how a uniform civil code aligns with the principles of secularism and its potential impact on fostering social harmony in a diverse society’. Another topic was ‘Human rights perspective, discuss the human rights perspective examining how a uniform civil code may contribute to upholding individual rights and freedom’.

Overview of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita 2023, victim’s rights and Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita 2023, and challenges and future directions were other topics.

NC’s chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to “assess the appropriateness of the Army discussing an issue that figures prominently in the BJP’s manifesto” while the model code of conduct is in effect.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also criticised the Army for conducting the seminar. “What we are seeing is the continuation of the trend of Naya Kashmir and Akhir Kab Tak campaigns in which the Army as an institution was seen playing a partisan role and directly interfering in the political affairs of J&K,” PDP spokesperson Najmus Saqib said. Saqib said this is a “very dangerous trend” and is a “manifestation of larger systemic erosion of the Constitution”. After the backlash, the Army cancelled the event, saying it was due to implementation of the model code of conduct.

Srinagar-based defence spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Manoj Sahu said, “The legal awareness seminar on March 26 by Kashmir Jurist in Kashmir University has been cancelled due to implementation of the model code of conduct.”

(With inputs)

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