NEW DELHI: The Indian Army has cancelled an upcoming seminar on the ‘uniform civil code’ (UCC) at the University of Kashmir following widespread criticism and concerns raised by various stakeholders, including former chief ministers of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and a retired army officer.
The seminar, titled ‘Navigating Legal Frontiers: Understanding Indian Penal Code 2023 & the Quest for Uniform Civil Code’, was organized by the Army’s HQ 31 Sub Area and was scheduled to take place at the University of Kashmir’s auditorium on March 26.
Reacting to the news of the seminar, former IIOJK chief minister Omar Abdullah questioned the appropriateness of the Army debating the uniform civil code, particularly in a sensitive area like occupied Kashmir. He expressed concerns that such a move could risk politicizing and interfering in religious matters, thereby challenging the apolitical and areligious stance historically maintained by the Indian Army.
Similarly, Lieutenant General Deependra Singh Hooda emphasized the importance for the military to refrain from engaging in political and religious issues, stating that any subject with political or religious implications should be avoided by the armed forces in public discussions.
Indian Army’s Involvement in Torture Against Civilians in Occupied Kashmir
Although the seminar was not the first event organized by the armed forces in IIOJK, it marked a departure from previous engagements by directly sponsoring an event on a political topic at Kashmir’s most prestigious higher educational institution.
Following the widespread public backlash and concerns raised by various quarters, the Indian Army announced the cancellation of the seminar, citing the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct as the reason.
The cancellation comes amidst heightened scrutiny of the Indian Army in IIOJK following allegations of torture against civilians in Poonch district. The Union government recently requested The Caravan magazine to remove a story detailing the alleged incidents of torture and subsequent compensation paid to the victims’ families.
