Lakshadweep BJP chief backs protests against new regulations, says 'concerns of locals genuine'
The Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel has come under fire for imposing several decisions since assuming charge like curtailment of the powers of elected district panchayats, terminating govt labourers, lifting the alcohol ban, beef ban and Covid mismanagement.
FollowThe Bharatiya Janata Party’s Lakshadweep unit president Mohammad Kasim on Tuesday joined the chorus of protests against the island’s administrator Praful Khoda Patel’s controversial new regulations a day after Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Congress members of parliament aired their reservations about these.
He sent to the PM Narendra Modi stating that the administrator did not support the party leadership in the islands. Kasim suggested the PM to recall him immediately.
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. Kasim said people should be taken into confidence before announcing sweeping changes.
“It seems some of the grievances of the island people are genuine. It is always good to seek the opinion of people and their elected representatives before taking decisions. I have written to both PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, about this.
In protest against a slew of measures employed by the Lakshadweep Administrator deemed “unilateral and anti-people”, several members including Yuva Morcha general secretary PP Mohammed Shaji has resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The resignation letters were handed to BJP national vice president AP Abdullakutty, who is also in charge of the Union Territory.
Leaders from across political lines and residents have been protesting against Patel's measures which included a proposed cow slaughter ban, a preventive detention law and a draft law proposing sweeping changes in land development regulations.
The Congress on Tuesday demanded the immediate removal of Patel from the Administrator post alleging that he is not only destroying the peace and culture of the islands, but also "harassing" the people by imposing arbitrary restrictions.
Administrator Patel’s recent reforms have attracted widespread resentment among the local populace with many believing the changes are aimed at “destroying the unique culture and tradition” of the islands. About a dozen MPs including Mohammed Faizal, who represents the Island, sent letters to the President seeking his immediate recall.
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