Beef Ban To Goonda Act, Why People Of Lakshadweep Are Protesting Against The UT's Administrator

Lakshadweep, the tiny archipelago in the Arabian Sea is witnessing a different kind of storm this time. For days now the people of Lakshadweep have been protesting against a set of reforms introduced by the Island's Administrator.

Praful Khoda Patel, who was given charge of Lakshadweep following the demise of Dineshwar Sharma in December last year had introduced some sweeping changes there, which locals are crying foul.

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What's happening?

Patel, they said unilaterally lifted restrictions on the use of alcohol in the Muslim-majority islands, banned beef products, citing Animal Preservation and demolished fishermen's sheds built on the coastal areas, saying they violated the Coast Guard Act.

As part of the new reforms, the administrator has dismissed hundreds of contract and casual workers employed by government offices and Terminate mid-day meal workers, physical education teachers etc.

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The administration has also decided that islanders should no longer depend on Beypore in Kerala for freight transit and instead should use Mangalore in Karnataka for this purpose.

Slew of orders

He also ordered the closure of all dairy farms in Lakshadweep and has allowed Gujarat-based Amul to sell its milk products to the people of the island.

Locals have also alleged that the Administrator changing the SOP has resulted in the recent spike in COVID-19 cases there.

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Though the locals have been protesting for days the agitation gained attention only after they started receiving support from the mainland, especially from Kerala, which shares the language and culture with the island.

Over the past few days, many including Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, social activists, and politicians have voiced their support to the people, of Lakshadweep.

Prithviraj said that he has been getting desperate messages from people in these islands, requesting and sometimes even pleading with him to do what he can to bring public attention to what is going on there.

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"I'm not going to go on and write an essay about the islands and why the new administrator's 'reforms' seem completely bizarre. All such material should by now be easily available online for those of you interested in reading about it," he wrote.

#Lakshadweep pic.twitter.com/DTSlsKfjiv

¡ª Prithviraj Sukumaran (@PrithviOfficial) May 24, 2021

Congress leader and Kerala MP Hibi Eden has written to President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah urging them to "protect the interests and culture of the islanders."

On Monday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the news that has been reported in the media about things in the islands is not acceptable.

"Kerala and the islands have had very long-standing, close relations in the fields of trade, commerce and education. The news that is coming out is some steps are being done to wreck their culture and that in no way is acceptable at all," he said.

News reports from Lakshwadeep are quite serious. Challenges imposed on their lives, livelihoods and culture cannot be accepted. Kerala has a strong relationship, a long history of cooperation with LD. Unequivocally condemn devious efforts to thwart it. Perpetrators should desist.

¡ª Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) May 25, 2021

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Congress had written to President Ram Nath Kovind alleging that the current Administrator of Lakshadweep Praful Patel had taken "authoritarian measures" and demanded his recall.

In a letter written to the President, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said that there is apprehension among the people of Lakshadweep and resultant widespread protests "owing to the authoritarian measures taken by the current Administrator Praful Patel".

The left parties in Kerala have also demanded the recall of Patel, who is also the former Home Minister of Gujarat.