Mohammed Ramees, TwoCircles.net
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): Bitra Island, the smallest in the Lakshadweep archipelago, is home to fewer than 300 people. Once a place where islanders spoke about their tranquil life, it is gripped by fear and uncertainty. Fishermen work in silence, the women repairing fishing nets glance nervously toward the horizon and even the laughter of children seems muted by an unspoken anxiety. Why?
The community fears losing their ancestral home following a government notification, which declared that the island would be taken over for defense purposes.
The residents allege that the decision is part of a “pattern” of new regulations introduced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government. Many see it as a direct threat to their way of life. A good portion of Lakshadweep’s land has already been claimed under the “Pandaram” land category, a classification that gives the government legal control.
On Thinnakkara Island, a Gujarat-based company has begun constructing a Tent City, despite the entire region being ecologically fragile and subject to strict restrictions against heavy construction.
Opposing the move, Lakshadweep Member of Parliament Adv. Hamdullah Sayeed says, “The administration is undertaking these measures without any consultation with either the indigenous residents or their elected representatives, particularly at a time when local panchayats in the islands are not functional. Such unilateral actions undermine the democratic system and infringe upon the constitutional rights guaranteed to citizens.”
He emphasises the availability of alternatives, pointing out that land has already been acquired on other islands for defense needs. “Land required for defense purposes has already been acquired by the government in several islands of Lakshadweep. Targeting Bitra, which has had a permanent population for decades, without considering any of these alternatives, is completely unacceptable,” he says.
Bitra resident Shameer talks about growing distress within the community. “What we know is only the notification. Lakshadweep land is ours, and there is no ‘pandaram’ land here. We have already given up land on two sides for the Coast Guard and Navy. What is left is the land of the people, and they want it entirely. We may have to move wherever they say, and they may compensate the losses with money. But how do they compensate for our emotions?” he asks.
His voice breaks as he speaks about the island’s legacy. “It is the soil where our forefathers are buried and where we have lived. There are many uninhabited islands. We do not know why they want only the inhabited one. Sometimes, they may do the same with other islands,” he says.
P. Misbahudheen, president of the Lakshadweep Students Association, describes the situation as deeply troubling. “This is a grave and dangerous national issue, but unlike Kerala, we do not have the kind of media that can report and debate it seriously. The government sees it as an easy walk for them,” he says.
Under his leadership, the students’ union is organising awareness programmes to draw national attention to the issue.
According to Misbahudheen, discontent is spreading across the islands. “People are afraid of the hidden dangers this move carries. First, they came and took over uninhabited islands that belonged to islanders. They burned coconut trees, destroyed agricultural land and barred us from entering our own land,” he says.
He remembers how land classified as ‘Pandaram’ was then seized allegedly without consultation or community consent. “Earlier, even when the government acquired land, it was done with compensation. There was some regard for the community. But now, even mosques have been destroyed. They are targetting land that is entirely owned by citizens. They are doing it under the garb of ‘defence’,” he alleges.
He questions the true motive behind these actions. “Even if they claim it is for defence, what they really want is to expel people from all the islands. Take Bitra for instance. It is one of the most peaceful islands, with very few people, almost no vehicles and beautiful lagoons. It is hard to believe that this is not really about tourism,” he says.
Hussnul Jamhar, a former Indian Army soldier and island resident, adds his voice to the chorus of concern. “We never say that there should not be any defense mechanism. I welcome the decision to build an Army base in Lakshadweep, but we question the logic of displacing people from their homes when it is more suitable to build the base on an island that has no human habitation,” he says.
He points out several nearby islands that are vacant and suitable for such purposes. “Close to Bitra, there are two islands, Cheriyapani and Valiyapani, along with Perumalpara, which is situated close to them. All three of these islands are uninhabited, with broad and shallow lagoons,” he says.
The government’s move to claim ‘pandaram’ land has already rendered around 60 percent of inhabited land in Lakshadweep disputed. Islanders are urging that vacant and uninhabited islands be used for any defense projects to avoid uprooting communities that have lived in harmony with the land for generations.
In addition to the threat of eviction, islanders are also facing a wave of online alleged misinformation. Several right-wing social media accounts and individuals are portraying the tribal Muslim population of Lakshadweep in alleged bad light, spreading hate and Islamophobic narratives.
“We are gravely concerned that the BJP is attempting to divert this issue. Local TV news channels are baselessly portraying the islandsrs as terrorists and extremists, simply because they are Muslims. We have seen many vulgar comments, even comparing Lakshadweep to Kashmir and calling for the displacement of our entire community from our homes,” alleges Jamhar, who is also a Left-leaning political activist.
He believes there is a larger agenda behind these tactics. “All of the movements going on in Lakshadweep are aimed at serving the need of corporate houses. The communal comments and approaches are only tools that they use in order to get the consensus to help a certain group,” he alleges.
His appeals for recognition and justice. “We are the people who always stand by our country. We have immense love and respect for the country. But what will we do if the politicians belittle us? They are eyeing the lagoons, and they want the soil of this heaven. It is tourism and money. They are using the attack on Muslims as a garb for their corporate benefits,” he says.
The Lakshadweep administration was contacted for an official comment regarding the notification and the reasons behind choosing Bitra Island for defense meeds. However, no response had been received at the time of publishing this report.