Lakshadweep crisis: Locals stage 12-hour mass hunger strike protesting admin's new changes

As the faceoff between locals and Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel continues, the Save Lakshadweep Forum is holding a 12-hour mass hunger strike on Monday, protesting the unilateral changes imposed by Patel. The committee which has involved all district panchayats to unite against the admin has closed all shops except pharmacies, seeking reversal of the decisions. Amid heavy security, the Save Lakshadweep forum has vowed to intensify protests if there is no favorable decision. Sources state that even local BJP leadership back the protests.

Hunger strike in Lakshadweep

The protests come days after the Lakshadweep administration passed several more controversial orders such as  - depute government servants on fishing boats for intelligence, intensify checking of passenger boats reaching the islands, mandating scientific disposal of the tender coconut shell, tree leaves, coconut husk, coconut shell, trunk instead of burial. NCP MP Mohammed Faizal has questioned the practicality of implementing such orders, while  Kerala High Court has issued notice to Patel on a plea challenging draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation 2021 and new changes brought by him.

Defending the new changes, the island's collector S Asker Ali has claimed that the administration wished to develop Lakshadweep as the next Maldives. Ali said that the administration aimed to develop the three islands holistically. Maintaining that the plan was for local resident's welfare, he said that development done till date in Lakshadweep was not commensurate of its potential.

The Lakshadweep row

Opposing the new rules imposed by Patel, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal has written to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking Patel's removal claiming that Patel had imposed a series of "authoritarian measures" since his appointment on December 2, 2020. Meanwhile, CPI(M) has held Patel responsible for the current surge in COVID-19 cases due to the scrapping of mandatory quarantine for travellers. The Opposition has claimed that Patel was trying to “saffronise the island” where almost 95% population is Muslim, with senior MPs like Sharad Pawar and Rahul Gandhi seeking revocation of the changes. Kerala has already passed a resolution against the new changes.

Similarly, BJP's Lakshadweep unit president Mohammad Kasim backed the local protests in the island against the new regulations, saying the party will work towards removing them. Reports state that several miffed BJP leaders have also resigned in process in protest against the administration's unilateral decisions and Centre's indifference to it. In response, Home Minister Amit Shah has assured that he will be resolving the locals' concerns.

What are Patel's 'objectionable' decisions?

• Altering COVID SOPs leading to COVID case surge
• Ban on the slaughter, transportation, buying and selling of beef products
• Lifting the ban on alcohol consumption
• Demolishing the sheds where fishermen stored nets and other equipment citing violation of the Coast Guard Act
• A new Goonda Act
• Disqualifying Panchayat members with more than two children from elections
• Mandating the use of Mangalore port instead of the Beypore port for freight transit 
• Termination of  casual and contractual labourers' jobs in govt