KOCHI: The Congress-led UDF MPs staged a protest in front of the Lakshadweep Administrator's Office in Kochi demanding withdrawal of the proposed "anti-people laws" by the central government in Lakshadweep islands. IUML MP ET Mohammed Basheer inaugurated the dharna.
Terming the regulations passed by the administrator Praful Khoda Patel "undemocratic", Basheer called for the withdrawal of regulations and executive orders passed after May 12. "These regulations are issued against the interests of the citizens residing in Lakshadweep and curtailing their rights," he said.
All MPs from Kerala except Rahul Gandhi, K Muraleedharan, K Sudhakaran, Kodikunnil Suresh, Sashi Tharoor, Adoor Prakash, and N K Premachandran took part in the protest.
Lakshadweep residents sat on a 12-hour hunger strike on Monday to protest against the three proposed rules governing tourism, cattle and panchayat elections, which they fear will destroy the culture and tradition of the island, home to around 70,000 residents.
"People of Lakshadweep are on a hunger strike as a mark of protest against several decisions of the Praful Khoda Patel-led administration," said UCK Thangal, convener of 'Save Lakshadweep Forum', which called the 12-hour-long hunger strike.
This is the first time all islanders are observing such a protest. All shops except the medical stores are shut down. People are protesting at their houses in order to follow the lockdown regulations.