1. What’s the issue
1.1. Anger against Lakshadweep administrator
1.1.1. Prafulla Patel
1.1.1.1. Administrator also of
1.1.1.1.1. UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu
1.1.2. People feel actions of the administrator are against social and cultural fabric of the island
2. Which actions of the administrator have triggered unrest?
2.1. Cow slaughter & beef
2.1.1. Administration seeks to ban the slaughter of cow, calf, bull and buffalo without a certificate from a competent authority
2.1.1.1. It prohibits the sale, transport and storage of beef and beef products.
2.1.1.2. Penalties
2.1.1.2.1. jail term up to one year and a fine of Rs 10,000.
2.1.2. People’s view
2.1.2.1. Ban is against their eating habits and culture
2.1.2.1.1. Rule decided without consultation with local bodies
2.2. Two-child policy
2.2.1. Under the Draft Panchayat Regulation 2021
2.2.1.1. the Administration aims to bar people with more than two children from becoming a member of the gram panchayat
2.2.1.1.1. For those who already have more than two children
2.3. Serving liquor to tourists
2.3.1. The Administration has decided to allow liquor to be served at resorts on inhabited islands
2.3.2. Current position
2.3.2.1. prohibition is in place on all inhabited islands, with liquor served only at resorts on the uninhabited Bangaram island
2.3.3. People’s opinion
2.3.3.1. move will lead to a proliferation of liquor sales on the island, which had been observing near-prohibition until now.
2.4. Land acquisition powers
2.4.1. draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation (LDAR)
2.4.1.1. to oversee development of towns on the islands,
2.4.1.1.1. with changes in the way land can be acquired and utilised
2.4.1.2. Mentions
2.4.1.2.1. declaration of ‘planning areas’ and constitution of ‘planning and development authorities’
2.4.2. People’s opinion
2.4.2.1. Draft pushed without consultation
2.4.2.2. fear large infrastructure and tourism projects can destabilise the ecology,
2.4.2.3. notification gives powers to the Administration to remove small landholdings of ST residents.
2.5. Anti-Goonda regulation
2.5.1. The draft Lakshadweep Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation
2.5.1.1. provides for powers to detain a person for up to one year to prevent him from “acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order”.
2.5.1.2. allows for detention for anti-social activities from six months to a year without legal representation
2.5.2. People’s opinion
2.5.2.1. it has been brought in to arrest those opposed to the Administration
2.5.2.1.1. UT with one of the lowest crime rates in the country.
2.6. Covid-19 SOPs
2.6.1. Covid 19 situation
2.6.1.1. For a year, Lakshadweep did not record any case of Covid-19
2.6.1.1.1. Why
2.6.2. Dilution of Covid 19 SOPs
2.6.2.1. by doing away with mandatory quarantine for travellers at Kochi and Kavaratti
2.6.2.2. anyone with a negative RT-PCR certificate issued in the previous 48 hours could travel to Lakshadweep
2.6.2.3. Affect
2.6.2.3.1. spurt in infections in subsequent months
2.6.2.4. People’s opinion
2.6.2.4.1. blame the Administration for mismanagement in handling of the pandemic.
3. About Lakshadweep
3.1. Geography
3.1.1. 36 islands
3.1.1.1. Only 10 of the islands are inhabited.
3.1.2. closest to Kerala, on which it depends for essential supplies
3.1.3. Once a part of Malabar district of the Madras Presidency, Lakshadweep was given Union Territory status following Kerala state’s formation in 1956.
3.2. Demography
3.2.1. population of 65,000
3.2.1.1. India’s smallest Union Territory
3.2.2. highest population share of Muslims (96%) and Scheduled Tribes (94.8%) among the UTs
3.3. Languages spoken
3.3.1. Malayalam
3.3.2. Dhivehi.
3.4. Lok Sabha MP
3.4.1. Mohd Faizal P P
3.4.1.1. Belongs to NCP