Lakshadweep: Three office bearers of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Minicoy Island unit on Monday resigned from the party citing “unfortunate public circumstances” in the union territory of Lakshadweep.
In their resignation letters to Lakshadweep BJP chief Abdul Kader Haaji, the three officials – President of the Minicoy Unit, H Ibrahim Thithige, Secretary Saukath Kanbiloge, and Treasurer Mohammed Kaleelugothi – said that they found it “futile to continue further,” in the party.
Earlier, on Saturday, 15 BJP members in the union territory resigned from the party to protest a sedition case that was filed against filmmaker Aisha Sultana allegedly for her comments against the Centre’s COVID-19 management in the union territory.
Abdul Hameed Mullipuzha, BJP state secretary, is among the party leaders who resigned.
Over the last few days, there has been an uproar against Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel over the new reforms introduced by him, which many allege are against the interest of the islanders.
People are protesting against the draft legislations like Lakshadweep Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation (Goonda Act), Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation and Lakshadweep Panchayat Regulation, 2021 among others.
Patel, who was appointed as the Administrator of Lakshadweep in December 2020, is facing opposition over policies introduced by him from the people of the union territory and politicians, both from within Lakshadweep and the neighbouring state of Kerala.