Topic: Lakshadweep

Protesting the administration’s undemocratic and dictatorial reforms, thousands of Lakshadweep people living on the islands and mainland India will observe a twelve-hour long hunger strike, following COVID-19 protocol, starting from 6 am to 6 pm on Monday.

The elected members of District Panjayaths (DP) and Village Dweep Panjayaths (VDP) in Minicoy island in Lakshadweep Union Territory wrote to Amit Varma IPS that they will boycott all official meetings and functions until all the draconian regulation notifications and unilateral reforms by Lakshadweep UT administrator Praful K Patel are revoked.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has given an assurance that the new draft laws for Lakshadweep that are being opposed by the islanders will not be finalised without consulting local representatives, Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal said on Monday.

The hard-hitting resolution alleged that attempts were being made to impose ''saffron agendas'' and ''corporate interests'' by destroying the unique way of life of Lakshadweep people.

Former administrators of Lakshadweep, Omesh Saigal and Wajahat Habibullah have sought interventions of country's top officials including Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Home Minister Amit Shah in halting implementation of the draconian proposals initiated in Lakshadweep.

In the first sign of a crackdown on dissents against Lakshadweep administrator Praful K Patel over draconian regulations that are seen as challenging the existence of islands, Lakshadweep Police on Thursday arrested 12 Congress workers in Kiltan island after they conducted protests against the Lakshadweep Collector S Asker Ali who defended the new regulations of the Union Territory’s administration.