Maldives Government Removes Three Ministers Due to Insults Against India and Prime Minister Modi
The action was taken in response to allegations made by Maldives minister Abdulla Mahzoom Majid on social media last week that India is distorting attention away from the Maldives by pushing Lakshadweep as a new tourism destination, which sparked outrage following PM Modi’s visit to the island last week.
In the midst of the Lakshadweep vs. Maldives controversy, the Maldives administration allegedly dismissed three of its ministers for making disparaging statements about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Hassan Zihan, the deputy minister of the ministry of transportation and civil affairs, Mariyam Shiuna, the deputy minister of youth empowerment, information, and the arts, and Malsha, the deputy minister of youth empowerment, are the ministers who have been suspended.
The action was taken in response to accusations made by Maldives minister Abdulla Mahzoom Majid on social media last week that India is distorting attention away from the Maldives by pushing Lakshadweep as a new tourism destination, which caused outcry following PM Modi’s visit to the island last week.
After PM Modi shared images of the beaches on social media, many Indians decided not to go to the Maldives for Lakshadweep.
GOVERNMENT OF MALDIVES ISSUES STATEMENT
In contrast, a statement from the Maldives government was released on Sunday night, saying: “The Maldives government is aware of disparaging remarks made on social media platforms against foreign leaders and high-ranking individuals.” These are the author’s personal views, not those of the Maldivian government.Furthermore, the government’s appropriate authorities won’t think twice about taking legal action against anyone who utter such disparaging statements.
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the former president of the Maldives, denounced the Maldivian minister’s use of “hateful language” against India and Prime Minister Modi on the microblogging platform X.
“I denounce the Maldivian government officials’ use of derogatory rhetoric against India on social media. India and the Maldives have long been close allies, therefore we can’t let such insensitive comments damage our long-standing relationship, according to Solih.
Ahmed Adeeb, a former vice president and minister of tourism for the Maldives, told CNN-News18 earlier in the day that the government disapproves of the remarks made by certain officials about Prime Minister Modi. Adeeb emphasised that these ministers should apologize and step down from their positions, as required by the Maldives government.
In response to the Maldives scandal, MoS MEA Meenakshi Lekhi stated, “I don’t give much credence to such people.” Only those who have sufficiently matured in their spiritual and mental domains may truly grasp India’s evolutionary past.