Praful Patel, who took charge of Lakshadweep as its administrator in December last year, has come out with draft versions of the Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation, Lakshadweep Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation, Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation and Amendment to the Lakshadweep Panchayat Staff Rules.

Praful Khoda Patel, administrator of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, was given additional charge of Lakshadweep in December 2020 following the demise of former administrator Dineshwar Sharma.

The laws that have ignited a controversy include a draft Lakshadweep animal preservation bill envisaging a ban on sale of beef, a draft Lakshadweep panchayat regulation 2021 that says "no person shall be a member of a gram panchayat or continue as such if s/he has more than two children”, a draft Lakshadweep prevention of anti-social activities regulation, placed in public domain on January 29, and a draft Lakshadweep development authority regulation, giving sweeping powers to the administration over land.

Social media has been flooded with posts hashtagged #SaveLakshadweep demanding the removal of Praful Khoda Patel, the administrator of the Union Territory, for his proposal.

India Today reported that Patel is being blamed for the Covid-19 surge in Lakshadweep and is accused of creating social tension in the smallest Union Territory of India. Literally, Laskhadweep translates into an archipelago of 1 lakh islands, but it is actually a group of 36 islands of which 12 are atolls, three reefs, five submerged banks, and only 10 are inhabited islands.

This proposal has been heavily condemned by local residents, politicians including Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, footballer CK Vineeth, actor Prithviraj Sukumar among others in the opposition.

As Patel has proposed the Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation 2021 that bans slaughter of cows, bulls and bullocks, the protesters are alleging that Praful Khoda Patel is implementing the RSS's agenda of beef ban.

It is to be noted that Muslims form nearly 97 per cent of the population of Lakshadweep. Most of them are Scheduled Tribes. The tribal population of Lakshadweep is about 95 per cent. The protesters say beef is part of their regular diet.

Praful Patel has proposed to allow bars in Lakshadweep as a measure to boost tourism. Lakshadweep has a prohibition law that bans sale and consumption of liquor.

Protestors have accused the Patel-led administration to have diverted the cargo to the Mangalore port in Karnataka to benefit the BJP-ruled state and disrupt Lakshadweep's ties with Kerala.

The most contentious of all issues, however, is the Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation 2021. If implemented, this regulation would empower the government, identified as the administrator, to constitute Planning and Development Authorities for the development of any area in Lakshadweep identified as having "bad layout or obsolete development" infrastructure.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and MPs from the state have sought central intervention in the matter. “The news from the island is disturbing. It is said that the Lakshadweep administration is trying to impose some restrictions that would seriously affect the tradition and practices of the islanders," Vijayan told a news conference on Monday.

In addition, after CPM MP Elamaram Kareem, MPs Hibi Eden and Binoy Viswam have also written to the President to protect the interests and culture of the islanders. Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal of the NCP and Kerala MPs T N Prathapan (Congress) and E T Mohammed Basheer (Muslim League) have also raised concern over the developments besides several netizens from Kerala, including film actors Prithviraj, Geetu Mohandas, Shane Nigam and Sunny Wayne.

Image courtesy: PTI