Indian Army cancels Uniform Civil Code seminar at Kashmir university after backlash

A proposed seminar on uniform civil code organised by the Indian Army at the University of Kashmir was cancelled after former chief ministers objected to it.

According to PTI news agency, the army sent out invitations to media houses on 22nd March for the seminar to raise awareness about the Uniform Civil Code and other topics.

However, it faced backlash from regional political parties with former chief minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah questioning the Army's involvement in a "divisive" issue like the Uniform Civil Code in a sensitive place like Kashmir.

"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'.

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, he added.

His party colleague and NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq asked the Election Commission (EC) to "assess the appropriateness" of the Army discussing an issue that figures prominently in the BJP's manifesto while the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in effect.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also criticised the Army for 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 as playing a partisan role and directly interfering in the political affairs of J-K," PDP spokesperson Najmus Saqib said.

"Post-backlash, we had seen some systemic changes, but unfortunately the seminar by the India Army as an institution depicts how far the lines between politics and security apparatus have blurred in J-K," he added.

The Army later sent out a statement, saying that it cancelled the event "due to implementation of the Model Code of Conduct".

The Army, however, said it had nothing to do with the topic of the seminar and was only providing administrative help to its organisers.

"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," Srinagar-based Defence Spokesman Lt Col Manoj Sahu said in a statement.

Later, the defence spokesman told PTI that the Army has nothing to do with the topic of the seminar.

"We are only providing administrative help to Kashmir Jurists, who were organisers of this event," Lt Col Sahu said.

He said the invitations were sent out by the Army in "good faith" to facilitate an academic discussion.

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

(With PTI inputs)

Also read | China's claims over Arunachal ludicrous, Pak sponsoring terrorism at industry level: Jaishankar