KOCHI: Lakshadweep Administrator Praful Khoda Patel, who courted controversy with a slew of reforms that caused widespread resentment, will arrive on the island for a week-long visit at 2 pm on Monday. Meanwhile, residents of the island are observing a 'black day' to demonstrate their protest. They tied black flags on poles along the road from Agatti to Kavaratti and erected billboards carrying slogans calling for the removal of the administrator and rollback of the reforms.
Though Kerala MPs Hibi Eden and T N Prathapan waited at Kochi international airport to meet the administrator in person and hand over a representation seeking permission to visit the island, they were disappointed. Though the original plan was to reach Kochi airport and proceed to Lakshadweep, Praful Patel changed his travel plan and went to Lakshadweep via Goa.
“We had got information that the administrator will arrive at Kochi airport and will be at the lounge for one hour. We reached the airport to give a representation to allow a delegation of MPs to visit the island and to convey our protest in person. But he changed his travel plans. We are planning to approach the court seeking a direction to the island in this regard,” said Hibi Eden MP.
"We are observing a black day on the island today. People are wearing black dresses and black masks. The police have removed the black flags in many places. As there is a complete shutdown on the island we are holding protests at home and posting pictures on social media. At 9 pm, the residents will switch off the lights and clang utensils raising the slogan ‘Go Patel Go’. The videos will be shared on social media,” said Lakshadweep district panchayat member K I Nizamuddin.