There has been a lot of news and controversy around Lakshadweep islands recently. Some statements being released on SM such as #SaveLakshadweep #AdminstratorGoBack #SaveOurHeritage etc tend to suggest that the Islands are in trouble and an attempt is being made to alter their identity.

I intend going Beyond The Obvious to bring out some truths and facts about what is going on there and what is the noise trying to silence out. Let’s start –

So what are some of the allegations –

• Praful Patel the Administrator from BJP is trying to push the Sangh agenda. He is asking for beef ban etc
• The Administrator is allowing Alcohol in some of the Islands
• He is spoiling the peaceful environment around the islands
• He is also being accused of being lax on Covid cases that are rising
• Praful Patel has implemented the colloquial Goonda Act ie Prevention of Anti Social Activities Prevention 2021.

Let’s get some more facts about Lakshadweep –

• 99% Muslim majority population
• Roughly 65,000 total population as per latest estimates
• Part of India’s strategic assets as it gives us eyes and ears into the Arabian Sea
• Crime rates are low because of the patrolling of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard
• Most disputes are solved within the community as no one wants the Police to be involved.
• Largely peaceful lower-middle-class population

If this be the background then why has the Administrator implemented the Goonda Act – Let’s go Beyond the Obvious

2 months ago, between 5th March and 18th March 2021, on two different occasions, the Indian Navy and the Coast guard intercepted Sri Lankan fishing trawlers and caught Narcotics i.e., High-grade Heroin totalling 300 kgs and illegal arms i.e., 5 AK 47s and 1000 rounds of bullets. The market value of the narcotics is worth Rs 3000cr in the international markets (source: Deccan Herald, TOI).

While this news was barely covered in mainstream media, it hardly made any headlines because of the ongoing focus on Bengal elections, Covid and Kumbh Mela. This huge illegal catch went unspoken in all of the social media.

INR 3000cr worth of narcotics and illegal arms is enough to fund a small army and to be caught in India’s “peaceful” islands was a major wake up call for the security forces (source: TOI). Such a huge cache of arms and narcotics could not have been planned without tacit internal or on the ground support of the local islanders.

Post the Sri Lankan crackdown on Islamic terrorism, new routes are being explored to find safe havens for terror operators. Narcotics haul along with illegal arms now makes Lakshadweep come under the radar of the NIA and the NCB (Source: NDTV).

In all of this let’s not forget to mention that Kerala wants Lakshadweep Islands to be part of its State. Kerala is where many individuals who fought alongside ISIS in Syria have come back to (Indian citizens who went from Kerala). Kerala is also the State where the latest Gold smuggling took place and for which the CMs office was involved. My intent out here is not to link the episodes together but to share some of the happenings lately.

Last but not the least, the most vociferous voices have started shouting and asking the Indian Government to Save Lakshadweep.

Exactly what the Indian Government is doing – Saving Lakshadweep islands and protecting India’s strategic interests and her National Security.