'Save Lakshadweep Forum' plans to hold protest against administrator

Lakshadweep MP PP Mohammed Faizal said that the Save Lakshadweep Forum (SLF) will hold a meeting in Kavaratti in the island to plan a protest against administrator Praful Khoda Patel over the arbitrary reforms.

He also added that the forum will soon go to Delhi to meet President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

People in Lakshadweep are protesting against the draft legislations like Lakshadweep Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation (Goonda Act), Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation and Lakshadweep Panchayat Regulation, 2021 among others.

Faizal said, "The administrator is not regularly present in the archipelago and he is not of any importance to the democratic system like panchayat and member of Parliament. The current administrator takes arbitrary decisions and acts as per his interests. He is trying to make legislation without asking the people of the island. The administrator does not allow the people of Lakshadweep to speak on the requirement of development on the island. The panchayat has been converted into a rubber stamp and the SLF opposes this."

He added, "It is natural that the people will be worried as the Administrator has called for tender notification to implement new projects on the land without asking any permission from the owners. We will face this issue legally."

"Thousands of contract and casual workers working with the Administration have been expelled in the name of the pandemic. Thus, he is trying to harass the residents of Lakshadweep people mentally and financially. We have declared non-cooperation movement," the MP said.

"The Union Home Ministry is responsible for the arbitrary reforms made by the Administrator. No individual in Lakshadweep can co-operate with the dictatorial trend of him," Faizal concluded.

Patel, who was appointed as the Administrator of Lakshadweep in December 2020 is facing opposition over policies introduced by him from the people of the union territory and politicians, both from within Lakshadweep and neighbouring state Kerala.

The Bharatiya Janata Party unit in Lakshadweep also suffered a setback after about 15 members on the island resigned from the party after a sedition case was filed against filmmaker Aisha Sultana allegedly for her comments against the Centre's COVID-19 management in the union territory.

Meanwhile, Kerala High Court in June issued an interim stay on two orders issued by Lakshadweep Administrator Praful Khoda Patel.

( With inputs from ANI )