The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPIML) extended its support to the people of Lakshadweep in their resistance against the “all-out attack on the on the federal rights and distinct cultural heritage” of the island and has joined the native people in demanding the recall of Praful Patel as the Administrator.
The indigenous people of Lakshadweep have been protesting against the series of contentious proposed by its Administrator Praful K Patel, a BJP leader and close aid of PM Modi.
The latest in that series is the proposed implementation of the Draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation, 2021 (LDAR, 2021). The proposed legislation will bring change in the existing provisions related to the ownership and usage of land along with handing arbitrary powers to the state actors on the island.
A social media campaign with hashtags such as #SaveLakshadweep, #StandWithLakshadweep, and#RevokeLDAR has been successful in garnering huge support from all across the country including from artists and opposition political parties.
In a statement undersigned by Prabhat Kumar, a member of CPIML’s central committee, the party has demanded the withdrawal of “all orders issued or promulgated” during Patel’s tenure including the latest Draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation 2021 (LDAR), Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA), Draft Panchayat Notification, and the Draft Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation which the party has termed as “a Sanghi attack the dietary culture of Lakshadweep”.
From Gujarat to Lakshadweep, Praful Patel is following the Hindutva Playbook
Furthermore, it has questioned the arbitrary attacks of Patel’s administration on the livelihoods of native people of the island referring to the demolition of fishing equipment and structures and termination of casual and contract workers including mid-day meal workers, physical education teachers, and; closure of 38 Anganwadis.
The right-wing narrative that the Indian Navy has intercepted arms and drugs which were being smuggled to Kerala through Lakshadweep has been debunked in CPIML’s official statement by citing the findings of fact-checking sites that in actuality the interception took place 90 nautical miles away from the coasts of the island. The party has said that the Modi regime is indulging in Islamophobic fake news to justify their draconian crackdown on the island.
Dipankar Banerjee, the General Secretary of CPIML also took to social media platforms to share the statement and extend solidarity to the people of Lakshadweep.
Earlier, leaders of other parliamentary left parties including the Communist Party of India’s General Secretary D. Raja had written to the Indian President asking for the revocation of proposed regulations and termination of Patel as the Administrator.
