Lakshadweep administrator's decisions irrational , says Sharad Pawar; seeks PM Modi's intervention
Mumbai, May 26: NCP president Sharad Pawar on Wednesday criticised the Lakshadweep administrator over his decisions, saying that they would lead to destruction of traditional means of livelihood and unique culture of the island.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pawar sought his intervention, and said the decisions taken by the administrator were unwarranted and irrational .
Praful Khoda Patel, the administrator of Daman and Diu, was in December last year given the additional charge of Lakshadweep. His new regulations, including Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation 2021, Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation 2021 and changing of COVID 19 SoPs, under which RT-PCR test was made mandatory for outsiders, have been opposed.
"These decisions taken by the Lakshadweep administrator would lead to destruction of traditional means of livelihood and the unique culture of Lakshadweep. It has already resulted in a huge unrest and protest, Pawar said.
The former Union minister demanded that the orders and decisions taken by the incumbent authority of Lakshadweep administration be re-examined and necessary directions be passed to the Lakshadweep administration to withdraw the unreasonable and unwarranted orders.
The appointment of a new administrator, who works in close co-operation with people's representatives and takes a holistic approach to work with the native people, will be highly appreciated, he said in the letter.
Pawar sought the prime minister's intervention to resolve the crisis.
The NCP chief also highlighted that the issues raised by his party MP Mohammed Faisal on the decisions of the administrator, and sought the PM's intervention.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi threw his weight behind the people of Lakshadweep as he accused the "ignorant bigots in power" of destroying the islands.
His statement came a day after the Congress demanded the immediate removal of Lakshadweep administrator, alleging he is not only destroying the peace and culture of the islands, but also "harassing" the people by imposing arbitrary restrictions.
The Congress has also alleged that the administrator is allowing liquor on the islands, which is prohibited till now, and has brought in the Prevention of Anti-Social Activity (PASA) Act with the objective of harassing locals, besides taking away powers of panchayats and is carrying out demolitions under new provisions brought in by him.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
