NCP protest march: Lakshadweep admin bans gathering in public locations until additional orders

By Express News Service

KOCHI: The Lakshadweep administration has prohibited the gathering of greater than 4 individuals in public locations and banned all forms of processions in public locations and roads in all its islands until additional orders within the wake of the protest march proposed by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

The order, issued by S Asker Ali, IAS, in his capability as District Magistrate, Union Territory of Lakshadweep, will likely be efficient until additional orders from 10 pm on Sunday (March 20).

Ali, in his order, stated the administration acquired intelligence stories from numerous sources together with that of the Special Branch items of the Lakshadweep police that the proposed protest march by NCP on Monday at Kavaratti and different 9 islands viz., Minicoy, Agatti, Andrott, Kalpeni, Amini, Kadmat, Chethlat, Kiltan, and Bitra could trigger “disturbance to the public tranquillity and may cause rioting in the islands”.

“…even though the office bearers of the Nationalist Congress Party have submitted applications for conducting the protest march by stating it as a peaceful protest, the actions done by the supporters of the said ‘protest march’ clearly shows that they are instigating the common people to do acts prejudicial to the public tranquillity and social harmony”.

Asker Ali, who can be the Collector, stated the current MP of Lakshadweep (Mohammed Faizal PP), who’s the principle organiser of the protest march, has made a provocative assertion and demanded the widespread folks of Lakshadweep to showcase their energy towards the administration. “He further challenged and intimidated the Administrator of UT of Lakshadweep that people of Lakshadweep will show their power against the administration ie., the government established by law”.

He stated the supporters of the protest march have been about to satisfy and proceed in a procession alongside the general public streets of the islands of the union territory and “such processions and like likely to lead a riot in the islands.”