The Tuesday Interview | Why this sudden urge to turn Lakshadweep into Maldives? asks MP

The people of Lakshadweep are up in arms against attempts to introduce new rules and laws on the islands, ostensibly to promote development. NCP leader and Lakshadweep’s two-term Lok Sabha MP P P Mohammed Faizal tells DH's Sagar Kulkarni that the new rules were sought to be introduced without consultations. Faizal says that if the Centre is keen to turn the islands into a tourist hub, preference should be given to proposals made by locals.

You met Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently on the developments in Lakshadweep. What was the response?

Not only me, but the BJP unit of Lakshadweep also met the Union Home Minister to express concerns over the developments in Lakshadweep. He has assured me that the present notifications are at the draft stage, and he will not act hastily on them. Whatever is not suitable for the island will be dropped and whatever rule is seen to be required for development purposes will be put up for consultations with the island dwellers, their representatives in panchayat and the Lok Sabha. Only then will they be implemented. This is the assurance given to me by Amit Shah.

What are the issues with the draft notification?

These decisions have been taken by the Administrator, Praful Khoda Patel, unilaterally. He tried to introduce the draft Goonda Act, Animal Preservation Regulation – trying to dictate the eating habits of the island-dwellers – and liquor permission; the most dangerous is the Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation (LDAR). He is trying to grab land legally and there are many things that are mentioned in the draft that are contrary to the Integrated Island Management Plan which had been vetted by the Supreme Court. This draft LDAR is the most draconian and the present protest is mostly against LDAR.

On top of that, there are several decisions Praful Patel took, such as retrenching contract employees who are enrolled under the centrally-sponsored schemes and some other categories as well. The Administrator relieved them of their duties unilaterally.

He also shut down the Lakshadweep Building Development Board (LBDB), which was duly constituted for the benefit of the people and for protection of environment. Earlier, beach sand was used for construction and plastering purposes. That was affecting the fragile environment of the islands. So, to stop this, the LBDB was constituted to provide building materials to the people of the island at subsidised rates. This was stopped unilaterally.

The services of Marine Watchers under the Ministry of Environment were also terminated unilaterally. Now who is there to look after the islands if people go to look for natural minerals on the islands? The stability of the islands is in question. The reduction in lease rent from Rs 36 per square metre to Rs 16 per square metre is another issue. Nowhere in India is the lease rent reduced like this, particularly in these times. These are the anti-people actions taken by the Administrator.

Read | Hundreds of people in Lakshadweep take part in hunger stir against administration

What is the response of the people?

The people of the islands have been protesting against the actions of the Administrator. For the first time in the history of the islands, its people have been observing a relay hunger strike. They are requesting the central government to recall this Administrator. They are also asking the Centre to send a sensitive, people-loving person who respects democratically elected institutions as Administrator.

Centre wants to turn Lakshadweep into a tourist hub with resorts.

If that is the case, our own young entrepreneurs have submitted proposals for development of tourism on the islands. They have even expressed readiness to bring in investors. Their proposals are pending. These proposals are as per the criteria mentioned in the IIMP. Why are these proposals not approved? What are they waiting for? They are making contrasting statements.

The Administrator also claims that the government wants women to come forward in public service, which is why the new panchayat rules are being introduced.

Women can take part in the election process under the existing rules as well. What does the ‘two-children’ rule achieve? To justify the Goonda Act, he said people do lock their homes before venturing out as a precautionary measure. But are the existing laws inadequate? Action can be taken under the CrPC, IPC. The Goonda Act has provisions to detain a person for six months for going against public order. He knew that the draft regulations would attract protests from the people.

So, you claim that there were no consultations before introducing these draft legislations?

There is a pre-legislative consultation for any law. Moreover, it was all in English. The mother tongue of the people of Lakshadweep is Malayalam. There are some procedural errors that have occurred. The consultations should be in vernacular.

The drafts were launched amidst the pandemic situation when the people were unable to move out of their homes. Objections to the draft were required to be filed by email. That is the funniest thing. Why this hurry? Why this sudden urge to change Lakshadweep into Maldives? The intention is very suspect. Also, the Administrator took charge in December, and he has stayed on the island for barely 15 days so far. How could he understand the culture, the habits, the behavioural aspects of the islands?

Are the protests still continuing?

Yes. The people of Lakshadweep are up in protest against the Administrator. We have clearly told the Home Minister we will not cooperate with this Administrator. People are very angry with him. Earlier Administrators held consultations with locals. They kept the democratic fabric intact and discussed everything. We need a change.