Kavaratti: The Save Lakshadweep Forum, a combined committee of political parties, has said it will stage a protest against the latest developments on Lakshadweep island.
Sayyed Ahmed, a member of the forum said a peaceful black day protest will be observed by the people at their homes, according to media reports. The protest coincides with the visit of the island's administrator Praful Khoda Patel.
Ahmed, a resident of Andoth island, said that the number of COVID cases have shot up in Lakshadweep after the strict COVID regulations implemented by former Lakshadweep administrator late Dinesh Sharma were lifted. " On January 14, 2021, Lakshadweep was COVID free with zero cases. But now there are more than 5000 active cases and already 50 people have died. The mandatory quarantine regulation that was required to be completed after reaching the island was eased, which has resulted in such a situation," he alleged.
Read: Lakshadweep Administrator Praful Patel to reach Agatti on Monday
The protesters have also sought time to meet Patel, who will be on the island reportedly for 10 days. Meanwhile, citing the high number of COVID cases, MPs from both Congress and Left parties were denied permission to visit the island, according to reports.
This comes two days after 15 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers in Lakshadweep resigned from the party after a sedition case was filed against filmmaker Aisha Sultana allegedly for her comments against Patel.
Read: 'Lakshadweep administration must take locals into confidence'
The Lakshadweep police registered a case against Sultana after she blamed his policies for the rise in Covid cases on the island and described him as a bio-weapon on a TV show recently.
Reports say local people are unhappy with the draft legislations like Lakshadweep Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation (Goonda Act), Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation and Lakshadweep Panchayat Regulation, 2021 among others.
With agency inputs
