The campaign against the administration is run by Kerala
THE WEEK|June 20, 2021
FOR MORE THAN a month now, Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khodabhai Patel has been in the eye of the storm. Lakshadweep residents, including several BJP leaders, are unhappy over a slew of decisions taken by his administration. Patel, a former minister of state for home from Gujarat and a close confidante of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, denies there is any “saffron agenda” in his decisions. And, the fears of the islanders are unfounded, he says. Excerpts from the interview:
NANDINI OZA
The campaign against the administration is run by Kerala

Praful Khodabhai Patel, administrator, Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep residents fear that their land will be taken away from them and given to outsiders in the name of development.

This is due to a lack of information on their part. Development authorities are necessary. We want to bring well-planned development to Kavaratti and other islands. Hence, the proposal to form a [Lakshadweep] Development Authority. The fears are unfounded.

Why not consult with local elected bodies and islanders?

The draft notifications have been kept in the public notice as per the rules. We received several objections. These objections were studied and then the proposals had been forwarded to the Centre. How would the objections come if they were not aware?

My understanding is that the opposition [to the proposals] has begun from Kerala. The Union territory is independent. The campaign [against the administration] is run by Kerala.

You have banned beef and aided the sale of liquor on an island group with a 95 per cent Muslim population.

Why is everything seen from a communal angle? It is to promote tourism. The permit for liquor is in resorts and for tourists. This has been clarified repeatedly.

What was the need to bring in the Goonda Act at a place where there is hardly any crime?

There is an international sea route. In the past, there have been instances of drugs, weapons and ammunition being caught. There have been cases of marijuana smuggling on the island.

Esta historia es de la edición June 20, 2021 de THE WEEK.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición June 20, 2021 de THE WEEK.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE THE WEEKVer todo
William Dalrymple goes further back
THE WEEK India

William Dalrymple goes further back

Indian readers have long known William Dalrymple as the chronicler nonpareil of India in the early years of the British raj. His latest book, The Golden Road, is a striking departure, since it takes him to a period from about the third century BC to the 12th-13th centuries CE.

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 17, 2024
The bleat from the street
THE WEEK India

The bleat from the street

What with all the apps delivering straight to one’s doorstep, the supermarkets, the food halls and even the occasional (super-expensive) pop-up thela (cart) offering the woke from field-to-fork option, the good old veggie-market/mandi has fallen off my regular beat.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 17, 2024
Courage and conviction
THE WEEK India

Courage and conviction

Justice A.M. Ahmadi's biography by his granddaughter brings out behind-the-scenes tension in the Supreme Court as it dealt with the Babri Masjid demolition case

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 17, 2024
EPIC ENTERPRISE
THE WEEK India

EPIC ENTERPRISE

Gowri Ramnarayan's translation of Ponniyin Selvan brings a fresh perspective to her grandfather's magnum opus

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 17, 2024
Upgrade your jeans
THE WEEK India

Upgrade your jeans

If you don’t live in the top four-five northern states of India, winter means little else than a pair of jeans. I live in Mumbai, where only mad people wear jeans throughout the year. High temperatures and extreme levels of humidity ensure we go to work in mulmul salwars, cotton pants, or, if you are lucky like me, wear shorts every day.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 17, 2024
Garden by the sea
THE WEEK India

Garden by the sea

When Kozhikode beach became a fertile ground for ideas with Manorama Hortus

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 17, 2024
RECRUITERS SPEAK
THE WEEK India

RECRUITERS SPEAK

Industry requirements and selection criteria of management graduates

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 17, 2024
MORAL COMPASS
THE WEEK India

MORAL COMPASS

The need to infuse ethics into India's MBA landscape

time-read
5 minutos  |
November 17, 2024
B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH
THE WEEK India

B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH

INTERVIEW - Prof DEBASHIS CHATTERJEE, director, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 17, 2024
COURSE CORRECTION
THE WEEK India

COURSE CORRECTION

India's best b-schools are navigating tumultuous times. Hurdles include lower salaries offered to their graduates and students misusing AI

time-read
8 minutos  |
November 17, 2024