Union Home Minister Amit Shah has given an assurance that the new draft laws for Lakshadweep that are being opposed by the islanders will not be finalised without consulting local representatives, its MP Mohammed Faizal said on Monday.
Talking to reporters after meeting Mr. Shah here, Mr. Faizal said he apprised the Home Minister of the strong opposition to the draft laws proposed by the new administrator Praful Patel. He said he also told Mr. Shah about the widespread protests on the islands.
“He has assured us that whatever laws that are under the consideration, they will be sent to Lakshadweep where they will be consulted with the local representatives in the district panchayat. People’s consent will be taken into consideration before they are finalised,” Mr. Faizal said.
He also sought removal of the administrator of the Union Territory.
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Mr. Faizal said Mr. Patel had been pushing for the laws — from ban on cow slaughter to two-child norm for those wanting to contest the gram panchayat elections, and allowing liquor to be served at resorts on inhabited islands — that have upset the islander. The majority of the residents in the islands were Muslims.
Besides people have apprehensions about the draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation (LDAR) and the draft Lakshadweep Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation, Mr. Faizal said.
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LDAR was aimed at overseeing development of towns on the islands, with sweeping changes in the way land can be acquired and utilised, while the draft Lakshadweep Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation provides for detention of a person for up to one year to prevent him from “acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order”. It allows for detention from six months to a year without legal representation for anti-social activities.
A group of locals had already challenged the draft laws in court.
Mr. Faizal said his party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar had also sought a meeting with Mr. Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the issue.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Chief Ministers of Kerala and Tamil Nadu too had opposed the draft laws.
