'Disturbing developments': 93 former civil servants write to PM Modi amid Lakshadweep row

Citing the 'disturbing developments' in Lakshadweep, a group of 93 former civil servants have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the Centre to ensure an 'appropriate development model' in the UT. The letter comes amid the drafts of three regulations introduced by Praful K Patel namely the Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation (LDAR), the Lakshadweep Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation (known as PASA or the Goonda Act), and the Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation (LAPR) after he assumed charge as the Administrator of the UT. 

"We write to you today to register our deep concern over disturbing developments taking place in the pristine Union Territory (UT) of Lakshadweep in the name of 'development'. These drafts have been introduced without local consultation and are presently with the government of India for necessary approval," the letter to PM Modi read.

The civil servants argued that regulations proposed by Praful K Patel were 'targetting the food and dietary habits and religious injunctions of the local islanders', 96.5% of whom are Muslims. "Each of these measures smacks not of development but of alien and arbitrary policymaking, in violation of established practices that respect the environment and society of Lakshadweep,” the letter said.

Urging for the measures to be withdrawn with immediate effect, the civil servants asked PM Modi to appoint a 'full-time, people-sensitive and responsive Administrator' in Lakshadweep. "We request an appropriate development model that emphasizes access to safe and secure healthcare, education, just governance, food security, and livelihood options linked to the ecosystem, in consultation with islanders, be put in place, building on the achievements thus far,” the letter stated.

What's happening in Lakshadweep?

BJP's Praful Khoda Patel is the first non-bureaucrat administrator of the Lakshadweep Islands, who took over the additional charge as the Lakshadweep administration in December 2020. Since that time, he has introduced a range of new laws and regulations which locals allege are being done without consulting elected representatives in the Muslim-majority territory. His decisions expediating development which are considered to be 'objectionable' are as follows--

• 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
• Mandating the use of Mangalore port instead of the Beypore port for freight transit 
• Termination of  casual and contractual labourers' jobs in govt