The seven sins of Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel

 

The seven sins of Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel

Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar islands are truly India's precious gems.

The extent of biodiversity, flora, and fauna, and nature that may additionally be viewed right here cannot be observed anywhere else in India. Typically, the rubbish that you get to peer at the roads of the different Indian cities isn't always seen here. There are few remaining areas in India whereby nature is truly existing in its purest state. But chants of 'Save Lakshadweep are huge on social media now.

What's happening?

What risks are these islands going through?

Come let's attempt to find out. Lakshadweep is made of 35 tiny however lovely islands. Those islands are without a doubt small. Their general ground area is 32. Sixty-two sq. Km best. Lesser than that of a small metropolis. In keeping with the 2011 census, the overall population is easiest about 60-70 thousand people. It's far the smallest union territory of India. Politically, they do no longer have a legislative assembly or a chief minister. Their complete political framework is of three tiers most effective.

First, there is an mp in Lok sabha from Lakshadweep. Presently, he belongs to the NCP party.

Second, there are local self-governments in Lakshadweep within the form of panchayats.

Third, is an administrator appointed through the use of the president. Who is chargeable for the governance of the entire Lakshadweep islands. Until 2020, the administrator of Lakshadweep ends up Dineshwar  Sharma. Earlier than him, there had been numerous well-educated IAS and IPS officials who have become the administrators of Lakshadweep.

So it will become a feature that become usually given to bureaucrats. However, on 4th December 2020, Dineshwar Sharma surpassed away. After that, as adverse to an IAS or IPS, a politician was appointed as the administrator of Lakshadweep. And this politician was once Praful Khoda Patel. 

 

 To recognize any art nicely one ought to understand the artist first.

To recognize what's occurring in Lakshadweep now we need to analyze Praful Patel first. Praful Patel started his political career in Gujarat as an MLA in 2007. In 2010, while Amit Shah was arrested with the aid of the CBI, Praful Patel became appointed the minister of state home of Gujarat by Narendra Modi. After this, when Narendra Modi has become the prime minister in 2014, Praful k Patel was then appointed as the administrator of Daman and Diu UT. There was once a tradition of appointing IAS and IPS officers are administrators here as nicely. In this union territory.

However, then the politician was appointed. And the trouble did not stop here. After that, Dadra and Nagar haveli, that is every other union territory. Praful Patel become appointed the administrator of it too. He becomes the administrator of 2 union territories. It seemed like there was a lack of suited bureaucrats at some point. That one Politician needed to be appointed because of the administrator of two union territories.

In April 2019, at the same time as elections have been to be held in both the union territories, caravan magazine suggested that the election commission had issued a notice to Praful Patel. Why? Because the collector of Dadra and Nagar haveli, Kanan Gopinath has made a coercive request. The election Commission admonished Praful k Patel for this. And a few months later, the officer, Kanan Gopinath resigned.

This wasn't the best controversy related to Praful k Patel. In 2019, in Daman and Diu, in daman, in particular, 90 houses had been demolished. That turned into on sea-the front land. It was performed with the excuse of progress. The locals protested against it and the MP of daman, Lalu Patel requested the collector to repair these houses on humanitarian grounds.

In reaction, the collector said that the people who lost their homes can apply for loans under the Awas Yojna of the prime minister. While the protests multiplied, sec 144 was imposed. And government colleges have been converted into temporary jails. To detain all the protestors.

The next controversy took place in December 2019. The parliament passed a bill that both these union territories Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, may be merged into one union territory. Dadra and nagar haveli and daman and diu. That is the name of that single union territory now.

People expected that these union territories would get a statehood. Like goa becomes given. Or as a minimum a legislative assembly and a chief minister. In order that it is more democratic. In the area of appointing an administrator from a few other areas to deal with all the governance. Leaving the people powerless to vote them out.

But no, merging these union territories led to exceedingly the alternative. Are you able to guess who became the main administrator of this new union territory? Praful k Patel. Moving ahead.

In February 2021, seven-time MP of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Mohan Delkar, who is also a tribal rights activist, committed suicide in a lodge room in Mumbai. A fifteen pages lengthy suicide note found, written in the Gujarati language.

Are you able to bet who's the name on this suicide note?

Praful Patel.

His son Abhinav alleged that his father becomes harassed with the help of Patel. And ₹25 crores have been demanded. Threatening that no longer paying the ₹25 crores could lead to fake cases being registered towards him. Under the prevention of the anti-social Activities act. I assume this ton of historical past information would suffice for now.

Now Praful Patel is the administrator of not only Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, but also of Lakshadweep.

What did he do after turning into the administrator of Lakshadweep?

First, the little democracy that remained with the people living in Lakshadweep turned into all taken away. Aside from electing an mp once in 5 years, they could decide on officers simplest on the panchayat stage. From those panchayats, power over five different areas ends up taken away. In training, healthcare, agriculture animal husbandry, and fisheries sectors. The power of the panchayats over these became snatched away.

Second, new panchayat rules have been proposed people with more than two kids would now be ineligible to contest elections in Lakshadweep. It is an quite interesting law. You may surprise why don't they put into effect, on the whole country? Politicians with more than two kids cannot contest elections in all places within the country. It would not happen. Why?

As it will mean that of the 303 elected BJP MPs, 96 MPs might automatically be disqualified because they have more than two kids. That means approx. 1/3^rd of the BJP MPs have more than two children. Does the question rise up that why is such nonsense law being made for Lakshadweep?

Is there any hassle of overpopulation in Lakshadweep? The fertility price of Lakshadweep is the most high-quality 1.4.

1. 4 is one of the lowest fertility prices in the whole country. These statistics are published via way of the government's very own ministry of health and welfare. The women’s literacy of Lakshadweep is one of the highest in the country at 96.5%.

So why is such a regulation being enforced? The local community alleges that the authorities are doing this in order that the distinguished politicians may also be stopped from strolling in the elections of Lakshadweep.

Third, the people of Lakshadweep allege that Praful Patel had spread covid on their island. Why so?

Cause the last yr, when the country going through the first wave, there has been not one case of coronavirus on Lakshadweep island. Because the standard-working procedure was that all people getting into Lakshadweep needed to first be tested and then needed to spend 14 days in quarantine.

However, while Praful Patel became the administrator he modified the regulations. The new rules said that one needed a negative rt-PCR test to enter. How did this come to be?

In January 2021 the first case seen in Lakshadweep. And what's the condition now? There had been more than 6,000 cases in total and more than 24 humans have died. Had this easy rule not been modified could this have passed off? Perhaps not.

Fourth, is the anti-goonda act. What happens generally? How are law and order maintained? If the police capture a person doing something incorrect they arrest the person. The individual has a trial within the courtroom. And it's the court that comes to a decision if the man or woman is responsible or not? But recently we're seeing several instances wherein the governments are making laws that deliver the police those judiciary powers. 100 years in the past, a Rowlett act passed by the Britishers as in which any person may be arrested and jailed without a court trial. A hundred years later, the Indian authorities brought the UAPA amendment bill of 2019. The authorities did the same way. The government has the strength to declare someone a terrorist. They may be jailed without a trial. In March, there was a similar law changed into passed in Bihar. Bihar special armed police bill, 2021. That gives police officers special powers to conduct search and arrest. Without a warrant.

Not most effective this, if any police officer commits an offense under this act, even the court, before taking any action needs to take permission from the authorized officer of the government. This means the court needs the permission of the government before taking any action. The draft of a brand new regulation has been delivered in Lakshadweep. Known as the prevention of anti-social activities, or the anti-goonda act. It permits the detention of any person without public disclosure for as much as one year.

What was the feeling in the back of it?

A few people could think that the crime rate has been growing a lot in Lakshadweep. There must be a lot of crime that such acts had to be brought. I will display the facts for that too. The crime rate of Lakshadweep is at the bottom in the country. So for whose advantage is it being introduced? Even if the crime rate wasn't at the bottom, it would not have made any sense to make such legal guidelines. Because these laws move against the principle of natural justice. So why are those new laws being made? The locals say that Praful  Patel will use it to prison the ones that will criticize his selections or protest against them.

The powers of panchayats have been snatched away. Police raj is enforced. But it still doesn't end right here.

Fifth, a new Lakshadweep development authority became created. It's being stated that it will become simpler to promote Lakshadweep's land to massive corporates. And the herbal biodiversity and ecosystem might be in danger. Praful Patel says that he desires to expand a smart city in Lakshadweep. He's going to build a"smart city" in Lakshadweep that is a group of tiny islands wherein nature is preserved so beautifully.

Does someone need to ask Praful Patel that what Narendra Modi doing for the last 7 years in India? They have the whole country to build smart cities. How many smart cities had been constructed there?

Sixth, Praful Patel hails from the state of Gujarat. And alcohol is banned in Gujarat. Same as Bihar. So you'll think that he'll follow the same thinking in Lakshadweep as properly. But no. Alcohol was already banned in Lakshadweep. And Praful Patel reversed that. Until now there was one liquor store at one of the islands of Lakshadweep. Now, Praful Patel has performed away with these restrictions. And permitted extra alcohol stores to open in the Lakshadweep islands.

Seventh, a cpi(m) mp alleges that Praful Patel demolished numerous boat sheds of the local fishermen. A video of a fisherman in Lakshadweep went viral on Twitter. In which he shares his story.

And ultimately, the 8th factor that isn't very significant however it wishes to be stated as it suggests how the people living there are being unnecessarily burdened. A beef ban has been added in Lakshadweep now.

In case you do not know, the tradition of the peoples living in Lakshadweep is similar to the Malayali culture similar to the culture of the people residing in Kerala. So historically, peoples do consume beef there.

So despite the fact that they know that it's part of the lifestyle of the peoples living there a beef ban is still being imposed on them. It's a minor factor. But think about all of the factors that I informed you of.

There may be a set of islands in our country where peoples are very educated. Air is unpolluted, there aren't any pollution no rubbish easy and exquisite seashores, no crime, no hassle of overpopulation, there weren't even any covid related troubles until these days. The peoples living their fish for their livelihood in a sustainable way.  Their manner of fishing is a different lot exclusive from commercial fishing.

Apart from this, there's little tourism which aids in their sustenance. The location is captivating. There may be harmony and peace between the various peoples. And then suddenly a politician comes in and ruins it. Damages people's belongings. Fires people from their jobs. Brings in covid cases with him.

Which causes the deaths of peoples. Takes away power from the panchayats. Forcefully imposes the goonda act at the people. What is this?

Praful Patel says that his timetable is only the improvement of Lakshadweep. He compares it to the Maldives. Why can't Lakshadweep have motels much like the ones in the Maldives? But I will want to pose a query right here. What sort of development is this? Who's this improvement really for?

Will the locals of Lakshadweep advantage from 5-star hotels or benefit the wealthy capitalist peoples that are available to buy for the land and get rid of all of the profits from the lodges? Will the herbal biodiversity of Lakshadweep survive this kind of improvement? Or will it too be offered off like the biodiversity of the rest of the country? Will this improvement carry peace to the people living there?