Lakshadweep Filmmaker Aisha Sultana Booked in Sedition for “Bio-Weapon” Remark

Thiruvananthapuram: Aisha Sultana, Lakshadweep filmmaker has been booked in a case of sedition and hate speech for her comments criticizing newly appointed Lakshadweep Administrator Praful Patel’s Covid handling the in Lashwadeep and alleging that the central government had used a “bio-weapon”.

Aisha Sultana had, during a news debate on a regional channel, blamed Covid cases in the island on Praful Patel’s decisions and said…

Lakshadweep was without a single case of COVID-19 from the beginning of the pandemic thanks to the system of mandatory quarantine for travellers in Kochi. Praful Patel, who was assigned as an administrator in December last year, changed the SOP despite protests, resulting in COVID reaching the island’s shores. The Lakshadweep has had over 9,000 cases since.

A case under Sections 124 A (sedition) and 153 B (hate speech) were registered against Ms Aisha Sultana, based on a petition filed by BJP’s Lakshadweep unit president, Abdul Khader.

Shashi Tharooor, MP criticizes the sedition case against film maker and tweets as…

In our democracy, criticism of Govt that does not involve incitement to violence is not seditious, a principle the Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld & that various state police forces have more repeatedly ignored. The case should be dropped.

1/3 In our democracy, criticism of Govt that does not involve incitement to violence is not seditious, a principle the Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld & that various state police forces have more repeatedly ignored. The case should be dropped. https://t.co/iQp7uTs3VQ
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 11, 2021

3/3 The sedition case will fail in the courts, since it does not meet basic standards, but she will be made to suffer till then. The process is the punishment. It is a total abuse of the process of law & unworthy of our democracy. The case against Aisha Sultana shld be withdrawn.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 11, 2021

Thomas Issac, Communists Party leader also criticizes as…

Aiysha Sultana, budding filmmaker, booked under sedition charges. Crime: Dared to describe admin policy a bio-weapon . Reason: Laccadives did not have a single case of Covid for a year until admin removed mandatory quarantine for travellers. Now Covid rages. Some sedition indeed!

Aiysha Sultana, budding filmmaker, booked under sedition charges. Crime: Dared to describe admin policy a bio-weapon . Reason: Laccadives did not have a single case of Covid for a year until admin removed mandatory quarantine for travellers. Now Covid rages. Some sedition indeed! pic.twitter.com/oZU9m7hBGX
— Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) June 11, 2021

Lakshadweep Administrator Praful Patel has been accused by protesters including Mohammed Faizal, MO in Lakshadweep in the past of doing away with quarantine protocols that were a must for people to enter Lakshadweep.