RESIST BJP AGENDA TO REPEAT KASHMIR IN LAKSHADWEEP – SDPI

New Delhi, 1st March 2021: The Union Government is on to turn the peaceful archipelagoes on the western side of the country into another Kashmir. The recent measures taken by the Hindutva ideology-led central government and its puppet administrator in the Islands are intended to undermine the cultural identity of the Islands which is inhabited by more than 96% Muslims, and are highly condemnable, said MK Faizy, National President of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).The destructive measures mooted and being implemented by the authorities are:• Issue liquor permit• Introduce Goonda Act• Change port for cargoes to Lakshadweep from Beypore in Kerala to Mangalore in Karnataka• Dismiss temporary employees working in the field of tourism, and doing cookery work in schools• Ban of cow-slaughterLakshadweep is an area where liquor prohibition is in place, and by relaxing this prohibition, the authorities are opening the doors to promote alcoholism in the Island. The islands are famous for not having any criminal activities, and the plan to introduce Goonda Act which would allow the authorities to keep the accused under custody up to one year without trial is an attempt targeting the Muslims who had participated in the anti-CAA protest, and to intimidate and silence those who dissent with the unlawful activities of the fascists.Lakshadweep has been in connection with Kerala and the Kerala coasts for centuries and, passenger travel and cargo transportation to and fro the Lakshadweep and the mainland have been done from the port at Beypore in Kerala since time immemorial. The government is planning to disrupt this relationship of the Dweep-habitants with Kerala, and to help Gujarat based cargo companies, by changing the port of cargo transportation to Lakshadweep from Beypore to Mangalore, Karanataka where BJP is ruling the state. The intention of dismissing temporary employees is to create unemployment and unrest in the islands, and to politically exploit the ensuing situation. Ban on cow-slaughter where there are no cow-worshippers is an attempt to provoke the people.All these moves, unheard for centuries, are in pursuance of the RSS agenda of humiliating and alienating Muslim community in the country. It is no wonder that the Muslim-majority Lakshadweep is chosen as the next target after totally destroying the Muslim populated Kashmir. NRC in Assam, a state with relatively high Muslim population, was also aimed to harass and bully Muslims. The sanghi government is systematically destroying the secular nature and communal harmony of the country to expedite their agenda of establishing the Hindu Rashtra devoid of other religious faiths, primarily Islam, as envisaged by the RSS ideologue Golwalker. Strong and firm resistance ought to arise from the people who love the country and who want to see the country in it’s hitherto stature of unity in diversity, to defeat fascism, said Faizy.