7 Things That Will Tell You What’s Happening In Lakshadweep

Amidst a raging pandemic, medical essential shortage, the central government has not stepped back at its job in the quest for power. There are things that they are silently taking under their control, while the rest of India fights the bigger battles. What better time to do this than a pandemic?

While the citizens of India are busy fighting the pandemic, trying to protect their own, the Central government is hoping this quest for power will go unnoticed.

In the past few days’ hashtag #savelakshadweep is doing rounds, particularly from the celebrities and ministers from the South. Here is all you need to know about it:

Lakshwadeep’s Administrative Control

Lakshadweep is a Union Territory that comes under the direct control of the Central Government through an administrator. Usually, administrators are Civil Service officers, but that rule obviously becomes an exception for the central government now. 

Who Is Praful Khoda Patel?

The administrator of Lakshadweep is Mr Praful Khoda Patel, who took charge in December 2020. Who is he?

1. 1.  He was the home minister during Mr Narendra Modi’s tenure as CM in Gujarat
   2.  He’s a close aide to Mr Amit Shah, India’s Home Minister.
   3.  He was also named (with others) in Independent MP Mohan Delkar’s 15-page suicide note of an independent MP from Dadra and Nagar Haveli 

 What Is Praful Patel Doing/ Has Done?

• 1. He changed Covid-19 protocols which resulted in a surge of cases. The islands did not have any cases in the whole of 2020. One month after he took control, he changed the rules of compulsory quarantine; there are 2000 active cases and 24 deaths right now.
  2. He passed arbitrary and authoritative regulations like Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation 2021 (LDAR) and the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA)
  3. He has also approved a draft panchayat notification where a member with more than 2 children is disqualified from holding posts. (Clause 14 (n))
  4. He also decided on the food that the islanders should consume by removing non-vegetarian food items from the school menus. It makes things tricky given the fact that it’s an island, and they survive on seafood.
  5. He imposed a Beef and Cow slaughter ban with a penalty of 10 years, even extending to a life sentence and a fine of Rs. 5 Lakh. Violation of the beef ban can lead to a jail term of a minimum of 7 years. It’s important to keep in mind that the population is 97% Muslim, largely dependant on tourists and the administrator decides what food can be served.  
  6. The high percentage of land ownership by both women and Scheduled Tribes are under threat with The Lakshadweep Town and Country Planning Regulation, 2021.

 Why Are LDAR And PASA Problematic?

• 1. LDAR allows the administrator to remove or relocate islanders from their property for “development activity”.Development includes; “carrying out of the building, engineering, mining, quarrying or other operations in, on, over or under land, the cutting of a hill or any portion thereof or the making of any material change in any building or land or in the use of any building or land and includes sub-division of any land”. This obviously allows for arbitrary control of land, in the name of development. It’s important to keep in mind that the Lakshadweep Archipelago is very susceptible to climate changes and the island is slowly deteriorating and further development can destroy the island. More about the deteriorating impacts of Climate change UNDP article.
  2. Under PASA, a person can be detained without giving him a reason or a public disclosure up to a period of 1 year. Last I remembered, it was compulsory to disclose charges if you are arrested. (Section 50(1) CrPC and Article 22(1) Constitution of India.  

What Does Lakshadweep Stand To Lose?

Lakshadweep is a 97% Muslim population, with no legislative assembly, known to have the lowest crime rate in the country and a group of 36 islands (32 sq. km) which has so far been protected by the indigenous. These draft regulations, backed by the administrator who has history and support from the Centre, are aimed to rewrite all that the island protected. 

One Kerala MP from CPI(M) wrote to President Kovind to call back Mr Praful Patel as the administrative officer of Lakshadweep. In a strongly worded letter, MP Elamaram Kareem has criticised Patel’s orders on changing the covid-19 SOPs, which led to the surge of cases, and all other ‘anti-people’ orders which have led to the loss of livelihoods and has not made any consideration to protect the ‘traditional life and cultural diversity of the people of Lakshadweep’.

A Call For Withdrawal Of Provisions

Several petitions have been addressed to the Administrator by the islanders demanding that these provisions be withdrawn. It says that “provision for the orderly and progressive development of land in both urban and rural areas and to preserve and improve the amenities thereof; for the grant of permission to develop land and for other powers of control over the use of land; to confer additional powers in respect of the acquisition and development of land for planning, and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid”.

What Is Social Media’s Response To This?

Several actors from the Malayalam film industry also took to social media to raise their support for the people of Lakshadweep, including Actor-Director Geetu Mohandas, Actor Prithiviraj Sukumaran, Sunny Wayne, Rima Kalingal and more. Footballer CK Vineeth also took to social media speaking against the reforms.