India, Sept. 15 -- Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday challenged the Centre to table a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in Parliament rather than implementing it piecemeal, arguing that a civil code cannot be termed universal if it applies only to BJP-ruled states.

Reacting to home minister Amit Shah's assertion that UCC will be rolled out across 21 NDA-governed states by 2029, Abdullah highlighted opposition within the ruling coalition itself, referring to reports that Janata Dal (United) will not permit its implementation in Bihar.

Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah echoed the position of National Conference (NC) Rajya Sabha member Shammi Oberoi, maintaining that civil legislation falls strictly within the...