Congress & CPI(M) demand Lakshadweep Administrator's ouster, cites 'anti-people' policies

In a key development, Congress and CPI(M) have joined hands in demanding the recall of Lakshadweep Administrator Praful Khoda Patel over his purported "anti-people" policies. In a letter addressed to President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal claimed that Patel had imposed a series of "authoritarian measures" since his appointment on December 2, 2020. This includes the curtailment of the powers of elected district panchayats, terminating the services of hundreds of labourers working in government departments, lifting the alcohol ban and imposing restrictions on the traditional food habits.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) launched a sharper attack on the Lakshadweep Administrator holding him responsible for the current surge in COVID-19 cases. The Union Territory, which did not report any novel coronavirus case during the first wave, scrapped its rule of mandatory quarantine for travellers and allowed them to enter by showing negative RT-PCR negative test reports. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan too expressed alarm over the reported unrest among the people of Lakshadweep.

Writing on Twitter, Vijayan stated, "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."

Here are some of the issues flagged by CPI(M): 

• Unplanned and unscientific altering of SOP leading to a rise in COVID-19 cases
• The Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation seeks to ban the slaughter, transportation, buying and selling of beef products. This is an "onslaught" on the people who depend on dairying and growing bovine as means of livelihood
• Hundreds of casual and contractual labourers working in various government departments have lost their jobs
• Lifting the ban on alcohol consumption is intended to destroy harmony and trample the religious beliefs of the people
• The new administration demolished the sheds where fishermen used to keep their nets and other equipment for violation of the Coast Guard Act. This has caused huge losses
• The islanders have been asked to depend on the Mangalore port instead of the Beypore port for freight transit. This is aimed at severing Lakshadweep's ties with Kerala
• A new Goonda Act has been enacted despite the Union Territory having one of the lowest crime rates in India

Writing to President Kovind, CPI(M) MP Elamaram Kareem remarked, "In the name of reforms and schemes, the new administrator is trying to completely destroy the traditional life of the people of Lakshadweep. Many of the existing laws are being amended unilaterally and new legislations are being drafted without any consultation with the people or their elected representatives. All these unilateral, undemocratic and anti-people decisions have created very huge unrest among the people and the whole Lakshadweep wants this Administrator and his policies to leave the island."