Lakshadweep Filmmaker Ayesha Sulthana Booked For Sedition Over ‘Biological Weapon’ Remark

Lakshadweep police on Thursday registered a case of sedition against Actor, model and budding filmmaker Aisha Sulthana for calling the Union Territory’s administrator, Praful K Patel, a bio-weapon being used by the Centre on the island’s people.

Aisha Sulthana has been booked under Section 124 A of IPC (sedition) and 153 (B) under hate speech by the Kavaratti police based on a complaint by BJP’ Lakshadweep unit regarding her remarks on the Centre at a panel discussion on a Malayalam news channel.

Sulthana allegedly said that the Centre was using COVID-19 as a “bio-weapon” on the people of the Lakshadweep Islands.

In a TV debate, titled, ‘Will the traitors of the island leave coast?’ in the Malayalam channel on Wednesday night, Sulthana reportedly said: “The BJP leader said the centre is trying to care for the islanders. Does this care result in the increase of several covid patients who had zero cases to hundreds of cases per day. They have used biological weapon. I can say one thing very accurately. The centre has clearly used bioweapon in a place which had zero cases.”

Justifying her controversial reference to the administrator, Aisha posted on Facebook, “I had used the word bio-weapon in the TV channel debate. I have felt Patel as well as his policies [have acted] as a bio-weapon. It was through Patel and his entourage that Covid-19 spread in Lakshadweep. I have compared Patel as a bioweapon, not the government or the country…. You should understand. What else should I call him…”

Sulthana who made her independent directorial debut in 2020 with her Malayalam language film ‘Flush’ has been at the forefront of campaigns against the reforms and proposed legislation, which have taken Lakshadweep and Kerala by storm.