Why 'impose' Goonda Act on Lakshadweep, which has no crime, no locks on doors?

By Jag Jivan
An online open forum of political and social activists has given a call to “protect” social, cultural, economic and environmental rights of Lakshadweep from what most participants described as “looming threat of the agenda of right-wing BJP and its allies in the Central government.” Part of the daily Satyagraha dialogue series on “Lakshadweep, the burning heart", the forum was hosted by the Socialist Party (India).
Insisting that the Bio Diversity Act should also be invoked as in tribal area land alienation cannot be done as per law, the participants questioned the appointment of administrator of Lakshadweep Praful Patel, a politician, “who is not from the administrative service which is contrary to the practice so far where Lakshadweep being a Union territory had always a retired administration official as its administrator.”
They said, it is inadmissible for an administrator to declare that he wants Lakshadweep to be changed like Maldives with the allocation of Rs 700 crore, which would include Rs 250 crore Central subsidy, allowing investors to get land on 100 year lease for tourism development. “More than 95% population is Muslim and most of them are from the scheduled tribe (ST) category. Hence the ST Act should be invoked for the loss of livelihood”, it was pointed out.
The participants included Thampan Thomas, ex-MP, Kerala; Justice Shamsuddeen, retired judge Kerala High Court; Adiraja Muhammad Rafi, Arakkal Dynasty; Pannalal Surana, national president, Socialist Party (India); Sunilam, ex-MLA and convenor of Samajwadi Samagam; Magsaysay award winning social activist Dr Sandeep Pandey; Sadiq, Convenor-Save Lakshadweep Forum, among others.
The participants said, Lakshwadeep’s ecology, culture, social fabric, and good governance have proven to be “phenomenal”. With a population of around 70,000, their identity should be preserved not just for Lakshadweep sake but for the sake of entire world. Out of 27 Lakshadweep islands, 10 of them are inhabited. Fishing and coconut harvesting are the main sources of livelihood.
They pointed out, Lakshadweep seems to be a unique place where there is no crime, no locks on doors, no liquor, and there is commendable degree of social harmony, yet the national government seems to be bent upon forcing liquor and Goonda Act on a place with lowest crime. “Why is Goonda Act introduced in a place where prisons are empty and crime is at lowest rate?”, they wondered.

There are no inequities in income. Measures forced upon the islanders will threaten not just social harmony but also ecology and human rights

Pointing out that Lakshadweep islands are surrounded by lagoons and its environmentally sensitive area, they said, “There are no inequities in income here. The measures forced upon the islands will threaten not just the social harmony but also ecology and human rights of the people”, wondering why “Lakshadweep panchayats have been overridden.”
The participants said with the new rules, Lakshadweep fundamental rights such as right to equality Article 19, right to livelihood Article 21 and right to cultural freedom Article 29 have been “trampled upon”, adding, this is one reason why the islanders have formed Save Lakshadweep Forum and have decided to take legal recourse.
Praising the Kerala for passing a resolution against the new administrator and rules, the participants said, “All other states and union territories should also follow this precedence set by Kerala and stand united to save Lakshadweep. Destroying the ecosystem these islands is akin to destroying the life there.”
Regretting that after the administrator took over in January this year, Lakshadweep islands, which were free from the deadly coronavirus disease, the number of people infected has risen to 6,000, the participants said, “Right to ownership of land is also being taken away from the natives. While the local citizens do not want liquor in their islands, new administrator introduces liquor against people wishes in the name of tourism.”

Comments

From algorithms to exploitation: New report exposes plight of India's gig workers

By Jag Jivan The recent report, "State of Finance in India Report 2024-25," released by a coalition including the Centre for Financial Accountability, Focus on the Global South, and other organizations, paints a stark picture of India's burgeoning digital economy, particularly highlighting the exploitation faced by gig workers on platform-based services.

Countrywide protest by gig workers puts spotlight on algorithmic exploitation

By A Representative A nationwide protest led largely by women gig and platform workers was held across several states on February 3, with the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) claiming the mobilisation as a success and a strong assertion of workers’ rights against what it described as widespread exploitation by digital platform companies. Demonstrations took place in Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states, covering major cities including New Delhi, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Mumbai, along with multiple districts across the country.

Over 40% of gig workers earn below ₹15,000 a month: Economic Survey

By A Representative The Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, while reviewing the Economic Survey in Parliament on Tuesday, highlighted the rapid growth of gig and platform workers in India. According to the Survey, the number of gig workers has increased from 7.7 million to around 12 million, marking a growth of about 55 percent. Their share in the overall workforce is projected to rise from 2 percent to 6.7 percent, with gig workers expected to contribute approximately ₹2.35 lakh crore to the GDP by 2030. The Survey also noted that over 40 percent of gig workers earn less than ₹15,000 per month.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Budget 2026 focuses on pharma and medical tourism, overlooks public health needs: JSAI

By A Representative Jan Swasthya Abhiyan India (JSAI) has criticised the Union Budget 2026, stating that it overlooks core public health needs while prioritising the pharmaceutical industry, private healthcare, medical tourism, public-private partnerships, and exports related to AYUSH systems. In a press note issued from New Delhi, the public health network said that primary healthcare services and public health infrastructure continue to remain underfunded despite repeated policy assurances.

When compassion turns lethal: Euthanasia and the fear of becoming a burden

By Deepika A 55-year-old acquaintance passed away recently after a long battle with cancer. Why so many people are dying relatively young is a question being raised in several forums, and that debate is best reserved for another day. This individual was kept on a ventilator for nearly five months, after which the doctors and the family finally decided to let go. The cost of keeping a person on life support for such extended periods is enormous. Yet families continue to spend vast sums even when the chances of survival are minimal. Life, we are told, is precious, and nature itself strives to protect and sustain it.

Death behind locked doors in East Kolkata: A fire that exposed systemic neglect

By Atanu Roy* It was Sunday at midnight. Around 30 migrant workers were in deep sleep after a hard day’s work. A devastating fire engulfed the godown where they were sleeping. There was no escape route for the workers, as the door was locked and no firefighting system was installed. Rules of the land were violated as usual. The fire continued for days, despite the sincere efforts of fire brigade personnel. The bodies were charred in the intense heat and were beyond identification, not fit for immediate forensic examination. As a result, nobody knows the exact death toll; estimates are hovering around 21 as of now.

When resistance became administrative: How I learned to stop romanticising the labour movement

By Rohit Chauhan* On my first day at a labour rights NGO, I was given a monthly sales target: sixty memberships. Not sixty workers to organise, not sixty conversations about exploitation, not sixty political discussions. Sixty conversions. I remember staring at the whiteboard, wondering whether I had mistakenly walked into a multi-level marketing office instead of a trade union. The language was corporate, the urgency managerial, and the tone unmistakably transactional. It was my formal introduction to a strange truth I would slowly learn: in contemporary India, even rebellion runs on performance metrics.

Report exposes human rights gaps in India's $36 billion garment export industry

By Jag Jivan A new report sheds light on the urgent human rights challenges within India’s vast textile and garment industry, as global regulations increasingly demand corporate accountability in supply chains. Titled “Beneath the Seams,” the study reveals that despite the sector employing over 45 million people, systemic issues of poverty wages, unfair purchasing practices, and the exclusion of workers from decision-making persist, leaving millions vulnerable.

Search This Blog