Praful Khoda Patel reaches Lakshadweep, people protest by observing 'black day'

People staged protest cutting across age and political affiliations

As administrator Praful Khoda Patel reached Lakshadweep on Monday, people of the island observed 'black day' by wearing black masks and badges. The police tightened their vigil against the protests.

According to sources on the island, people staged the protest, cutting across age and political affiliations, by holding placards against various decisions of the administration. Many also wore black masks and badges. 'Save Lakshadweep Forum', a collective of various political parties of Lakshadweep had called for observing 'black day'.

Though many tried to raise black flags at the premises of their houses, the police prevented it. Police personnel also took photographs of houses where black flags were raised.

Zaheer, a native of Kalpeni island, said that since lockdown due to Covid-19 was in place there were no pubic demonstrations. But if the administration did not revoke its controversial decisions, the island may witness the resentment of the people spilling over to the streets.

Patel is reportedly planning to be on the island for one week. He would be reviewing the implementation of various decisions, especially infrastructure development projects like the Smart City project at Kavaratti.

Though a delegation of Congress MPs from Kerala waited at the Kochi airport on Monday morning with the intention of meeting Patel, he did not travel via Kochi.

Congress MP T N Prathapan said that the administrator who used to go to Kavaratti via Kochi skipped Kochi to evade protests. But the protests against him would be intensified, he said.

Meanwhile, actress from the island Aisha Sulthana, who was slapped with a sedition case by the Lakshadweep police, moved the Kerala HC on Monday seeking anticipatory bail.