The Lakshadweep Police booked film activist Aisha Sultana for calling the Union territory’s administrator Praful K Patel a ‘bioweapon’.
On Thursday, 10 June, the complaint raised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lakshadweep President C Abdul Khader Haji, a case of sedition was filed against Sultana, who is a local resident.
Over the last few weeks, enormous protests have erupted in Lakshadweep over Administrator Patel’s introduction of certain regulations that have been judged as violating the ethos of the indigenous population.
Amid the ongoing protests against the Lakshadweep administrator, the film activist had allegedly suggested that Patel was a “bioweapon” being employed against the island’s indigenous residents by the central government.
The Case
The complaint, registered by Khader Haji at the Kavaratti police station, referred to a recent debate over the contentious reforms introduced in Lakshadweep, that had taken place on the Malayalam television channel MediaOne TV.
During the discussion, which took place on 7 June, Sultana had allegedly said that the Centre was using Administrator Patel as a “bioweapon” against Lakshadweep.
“Before Centre took care, Lakshadweep had 0 cases of COVID-19. Now, it is reporting a daily spike of 100 cases. What the Centre has deployed is a bioweapon. I can say this clearly that the central government has deployed a bioweapon against the people of Lakshadweep.” Aisha Sultana has said this during her debate.
Sultana took to Facebook to explicate her stance: “I had used the word bioweapon in the TV channel debate. I have felt Patel as well as his policies [have acted] as a bioweapon. It was through Patel and his entourage that COVID-19 spread in Lakshadweep. I have compared Patel to a bioweapon, not the government or the country… You should understand. What else should I call him?”
Sultana has played an active role in the protest campaigns that have gained traction in Lakshadweep and Kerala over Patel’s contentious reforms.
Lakshadweep Sahitya Pravarthaka Sangam stated, “It is not proper to depict her as anti-national. She had reacted against the inhumane approach of the administrator,” adding that the cultural community will stand by Sultana.
Reactions:
The activist’s comment has incited antagonism from the BJP unit of Lakshadweep. The party workers have filed complaints against her in Kerala as well.
BJP Thrissur President lodged a complaint against Sultana on Wednesday, 9 June, with the Kerala Police. KK Aneesh Kumar, the complainant, alleged that during a TV channel discussion on 7 June, the actor had said that the Centre used a bioweapon in Lakshadweep.
Several politicians and activists have taken to Twitter to protest against the filing of the sedition case against Aisha Sultana.
1/3 In our democracy, criticism of Govt that does not involve incitement to violence is not seditious, a principle the Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld & that various state police forces have more repeatedly ignored. The case should be dropped. https://t.co/iQp7uTs3VQ
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 11, 2021
In complete solidarity with Aisha Sultana,d first woman film maker of Lakshadweep,who is charged with Sedition for speaking against the Governor.This country is not BJP's ancestral property,every critique of the undemocratic government, can't be put behind bars.#SaveLakshadweep
— Dipsita (@DharDipsita) June 10, 2021
#Sedition charges for criticising a political appointee?! For speaking out against arbitrary decisions imposed on the islanders?
This is nothing but abuse of the sedition law, which the Supreme Court needs to crack down on.
In solidarity with #AishaSultana
Drop these charges! https://t.co/3yvbIShiW2— Rakesh Sharma (@rakeshfilm) June 10, 2021
Dear @BJP4India why do things in piecemeal, make a master list of all persons who are “anti-national” (politicians, journalists, social activists, public thinkers, writers, cartoonists, student leaders) like McCarthyism. Book all under the sedition laws in one go. #AishaSultana
— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) June 11, 2021
(a) Sedition FIR against Aisha Sultana be withdrawn+classified with “C Summary”
(b) Enquiry & action against officials involved in this.
Failure to comply will be challenged in Kerala High Court https://t.co/W01V10S1NT pic.twitter.com/kM8f2T8q6G
RTI activist Saket Gokhale said:
Issued a notice to Lakshadweep Administrator @prafulkpatel & UT Police demanding:
(a) Sedition FIR against Aisha Sultana be withdrawn+classified with "C Summary"
(b) Enquiry & action against officials involved in this.
Failure to comply will be challenged in Kerala High Court https://t.co/W01V10S1NT pic.twitter.com/kM8f2T8q6G
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) June 11, 2021
Protests have erupted on the islands of Lakshadweep over the past few weeks against Praful Khoda Patel, the administrator of the Union Territory who was appointed on 5 December 2020. Among the new laws, the ordinance that has enraged the islanders the most is the draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation 2021.
The regulation gives the administrator authorities to remove or relocate islanders from their property, for town planning or any developmental activity. The draft notification states that the government has powers “to acquire, hold, manage and dispose of property, movable or immovable, as it may deem necessary”.
Some of the other contentious legislation proposed by Khoda include a ban on beef consumption and the disqualification of individuals having more than two children from Panchayat elections.
Events That Upset The islanders Were:
1. Ransacking fishermen’s sheds, (80% live off fishing)
2. Making a new Gooda Law (in lowest crime rates)
3. Imposing beef ban in the island where 97% were Muslims and ate beef.
4. Seizing land of people despite their ownership
5. Calling people on the island terrorists.
6. Making laws to unlawfully arrest and detail for a year in a very peaceful island, known to have the lowest crime rates in India.
7. Zero COVID, since he came 7000 cases of COVID.
8. MP Mohan Delkar, died by suicide, his son alleges Praful Khoda Pate brought on his suicide and this raises questions on his other credentials.
The people are upset and want him removed. While the BJP declares these changes are for development, the islanders are sceptical and it is in this frame of mind that probably led Aisha Sultana to call him a “bioweapon” in her fiery debate.
Lakshadweep is a tropical archipelago of 36 atolls and coral reefs in the Laccadive Sea, off the coast of Kerala, India. Not all of the islands are inhabited, and only a few are open to visitors (permits required). The rich topography, exotic wildlife, and nature on this island are unparalleled to any other scenic place in India, and the unexpected new interruptions in their peaceful lives are causing disturbances and rumblings across India as well.
