Rahul Gandhi writes to PM Modi on 'unilateral changes' in Lakshadweep; seeks revocation

Escalating the fight for Lakshadweep, ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, wrote to PM Modi complaining about the UT's administrator Praful Khoda Patel and his 'proposed unilateral sweeping changes', which are being protested by the local people. Listing the revised rules affecting land ownership, disqualifying Panchayat members with more than two children, attempts to cut off ties with Beypore, Rahul Gandhi urged the PM to withdraw all the orders. He also lamented over the relaxed COVID norms, firing contractual labourers and penalising dissent. Gandhi's letter comes on the heels of NCP chief Sharad Pawar's letter to PM Modi raising similar concerns.

Rahul Gandhi writes to PM Modi on Lakshadweep

BJP unit flags concerns, Congress-CPM-NCP revolt

On Tuesday, BJP's Lakshadweep unit president Mohammad Kasim has backed the local protests in the island against the new regulations, saying the party will work towards removing them. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Kasim said that the concerns against the new rules were genuine and that he had written to both PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah regarding it. 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.  On the other hand, Kerala BJP chief K Surendran has backed the administration slamming attempts to 'create a communal rift in society'.

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. 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 - leading to having a 60% positivity rate. The Opposition has claimed that Patel was trying to “saffronise the island” where almost 95% population is Muslim.

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