Black Flag Protest As Praful Patel Arrives in Lakshadweep
Filmmaker and activist Aisha Sultana on Monday approached the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail in the sedition case filed against her by the Lakshadweep Police.
Hundreds of Lakshadweep's natives -- families and leaders -- are observing a Black Flag protest on 14th June as their Administrator Praful Khoda Patel arrived in Lakshadweep. Amid a lockdown, locals raised black flags at home, while many wore black masks or badges. This is the first time he has gone there since his sweeping reforms, some of them proposed, sparked outrage in the Union Territory and in neighbouring Kerala. The protest was organised by the All-Party Save Lakshadweep Forum (SLF). Protesters raised slogans like "Roll back all weird anti-social and anti-public reforms" and "Praful Khoda Patel Go Back".
In other news, local resident and film activist Aisha Sultana. Aisha has been in the forefront of campaigns against the reforms and proposed legislation. She was on the Malayalam channel ‘MediaOne TV’ talking about the controversial reforms in Lakshadweep. She had said that the Centre was using Praful Patel as a ‘bio-weapon’ on the islands. BJP’s Lakshadweep unit president C Abdul Khader Haji had filed a complaint against Sultana for her remarks. Justifying her controversial reference to the administrator, Aisha posted on Facebook, “I had used the word bio-weapon in the TV channel debate. I have felt Patel as well as his policies [have acted] as a bio-weapon. It was through Patel and his entourage that Covid-19 spread in Lakshadweep. I have compared Patel as a bioweapon, not the government or the country.” Lakshadweep's Kavaratti police have asked her to report at the station on June 20. SHe has approached the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail. Many BJP party leaders and scores of party workers have resigned as protest over the case, calling Haji’s allegations against Sultana “untruthful”.
