PRITHVIRAJ BATS FOR LAKSHADWEEP; WHAT'S AILING THE ISLAND?

He began on Twitter, "My first memories of this gorgeous little group of islands are from a school excursion when I was in my 6th grade. I remember being in awe of the turquoise waters and crystal clear lagoons. Years later, I was part of the crew that brought filmmaking back to the islands with Sachy's Anarkali. I spent a good two months in Kavarati and made memories and friends for a lifetime." The actor added that post Anarkali, he also shot his directorial debut Lucifer in Lakshadweep.

"For the last few days, I have been getting desperate messages from people I know and do not know from these islands, requesting and sometimes even pleading for me to do what I can to bring public attention to what is going on there. I'm not going to go on and write an essay about the islands and why the new administrator's 'reforms' seem completely bizarre," he continued.

He further said that he has spoken to a number of islanders and none of them are happy with the proposed reforms. "I strongly believe that any law, reform or amendment should never be for the land, but for the people of the land. It's never the geographical or political boundary that makes a country, state or union territory but the people who live there. How does disrupting the way of life of a centuries-old peaceful settlement become an acceptable means of progress?" he asked. He requested the authorities to listen to the residents of Lakshadweep and act on the same.

#Lakshadweep pic.twitter.com/DTSlsKfjiv

— Prithviraj Sukumaran (@PrithviOfficial) May 24, 2021

Lakshadweep's current positivity rate stands at 68 per cent. While the rest of the country was at its wit's end, battling COVID, Lakshadweep managed to keep the virus away for over a year. Praful Patel, the island’s administrator, granted a waiver to the restrictions imposed on those who were in the quarantine in Kochi, which many believe to be the reason behind the spike in cases.

The first law reform of Mr Patel since taking office was the implementation of the Goonda Act. Islanders allege that the Goonda act was undemocratic on an island where no crime was reported.