As many as 15 BJP leaders and members in Lakshadweep resigned after a sedition case was filed against filmmaker Aisha Sultana allegedly for her comments on Centre's COVID-19 management in the island union territory.
During a TV discussion, Sultana had stated that COVID cases in Lakshadweep spiked massively with the arrival of the present administrator.
The resigned BJP leaders, in their resignation letter, said the administrator's decision to impose a sedition case against Sultana was ''unscientific and irresponsible'.
"When BJP workers including you in Lakshadweep and the people have been protesting against the undemocratic actions, you have filed a false and unjustified complaint against Chetlath sister, and are ruining her family and her future. We convey our strong objection and submit our resignation from the primary membership from BJP," they added.
Abdul Hameed Mullipuzha, BJP state secretary, is among the party leaders who resigned.
On Thursday, the Lakshadweep police had filed a case against Sultana with charges of sedition and hate speech based on the complaint of BJP Lakshadweep wing president C Addul Khader Haji.
According to the complaint, Sultana, during a TV news debate, alleged that the Centre had used COVID-19 as a "bio-weapon" against the people of Lakshadweep.
Notably, there has been an uproar against Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel since a number of new reforms were introduced by him, which many allege are against the interest of the islanders.
Since the reforms were introduced, protests have erupted against the legislations including Lakshadweep Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation (Goonda Act), Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation and Lakshadweep Panchayat Regulation, 2021 among others.
Patel has been facing backlash over the new policies from the people of the union territory and politicians, both from within Lakshadweep and the neighbouring state of Kerala.
