Kerala assembly moves resolution in support of protests in Lakshadweep

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said that there is a deliberate attempt going on in Lakshadweep to destroy the indigenous life of the inmates to enforce saffron agenda and corporate interests.
Moving a resolution to support the ongoing protest in Lakshadweep against the reforms being brought in by Lakshadweep administrator Praful Kodabhayi Patel, the chief minister said that what began with painting saffron colour in the coconut trees, it was grown into a stage where the life and ecosystem of the people of the islands are being destroyed.
People of the island are peace-loving and those who love to host their guests," said Vijayan.
He said that the administration even has begun enforcing the Goonda act in a place where crimes are scarce. The administration has taken an autocratic approach by taking steps to suppress the protests of the public.
The resolution said that the administration has encroached into the food habits of the people by banning cow slaughter, which is an agenda of the Sangh Parivar, destroying fishing equipment, and attempts to close down dairy farms. The administrator is leading such steps that are slowly destroying the life and culture of a group of people, the chief minister said.
Attempts are on to destroy all democratic institutions and bring them under the rule of officials. The district panchayat and village island panchayat have already been brought under the administrator," said Kerala chief minister.
He added that the subjects that were under the district panchayat including fishing, health, education, animal husbandry and agriculture have been taken off, and the administrator has grabbed the powers to interfere in these matters.
Through these steps, the Centre is destroying democracy by using the officials of their interest, the resolution further said.
The order that those who have more than two children should not contest in the panchayat elections is something that was never heard of earlier in the country. Through such an order, most of the people of the island will be devoid of their democratic rights.
"There is also an attempt to destroy the historical link between Kerala and Lakshadweep," said the chief minister.
The activities going on in the islands at present should be seen as a laboratory of the Sangh Parivar agenda, which has been trying to manipulate the culture, language, lifestyle and food habits of the people of the country, the resolution said.
Vijayan said that the Centre has the responsibility to ensure that the specialties of the islands and the people living there.
"The Centre should immediately intervene and remove the administrator from the post who is posing a challenge to this responsibility," the chief minister said in the resolution moved in the assembly.