Under fire and grappling with a situation fast turning into a diplomatic row, the Maldives government of President Mohamed Muizzu, whose party rode to power last year on an ‘India Out’ poll campaign, suspended three ministers Sunday for making derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India.
Ministers Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef and Mahzoom Majid were suspended with immediate effect, hours after the Maldives government distanced itself from the remarks made by the ministers and MPs who joined a social media spat over Lakshadweep vs Maldives in the wake of Prime Minister Modi’s photographs from Lakshadweep.
On Sunday, the Indian High Commission in Male, sources said, raised the matter with the Foreign Office there and expressed concern over comments about the Prime Minister by certain ministers of the Maldives government. President Muizzu was leaving for China Sunday on a State Visit at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Maldives government, in a statement, without naming its ministers or Prime Minister Modi, said: “The Government of Maldives is aware of derogatory remarks on social media platforms against foreign leaders and high-ranking individuals. These opinions are personal and do not represent the views of the Government of Maldives.”
It said the government believes “freedom of expression should be exercised in a democratic and responsible manner, and in ways that do not spread hatred, negativity, and hinder close relationships between the Maldives and its international partners”.
“Moreover, the relevant authorities of the Government will not hesitate to take action against those who make such derogatory remarks,” it stated.
Later in the day, the three ministers were suspended by the government.
After photographs of Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep gained traction on social media and the Internet, and many promoted the chain of Indian islands over the Maldives as a tourist destination, Zahid Rameez, a Maldivian MP, said, “The move is great. However, the idea of competing with us is delusional. How can they provide the service we offer? How can they be so clean? The permanent smell in the rooms will be the biggest downfall.”
Besides him, minister Shiuna made derogatory remarks about Modi, calling the Prime Minister a “clown” and a “puppet”. Shiuna, Deputy Minister at the Maldives Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Information, and Art, as well as the spokesperson for the Male City Council, later deleted her disparaging social media posts.
Shareef’s posts on Modi were also derogatory in nature. Majid flagged the “challenges India faced in competing with Maldives in beach tourism” and tagged Modi in a post that spoke about open defecation in India. Most of these posts have now been deleted.
Outrage over the posts mounted not just in India but also within the Maldives. Many in the island nation, including former Presidents, condemned the remarks against a friendly country and its leader.
Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, in a post on X, said “I condemn the use of hateful language against India by Maldivian government officials on social media. India has always been a good friend to Maldives and we must not allow such callous remarks to negatively impact the age-old friendship between our two countries.”
Former President Mohamed Nasheed said, “What appalling language by Maldives Government official Mariyam Shiuna towards the leader of a key ally, that is instrumental for Maldives’ security and prosperity. Dr Mohamed Muizzu government must distance itself from these comments and give clear assurance to India they do not reflect gov policy.”
Abdulla Shahid, former Foreign Minister of Maldives, called the remarks by the ministers odious, and described India as a time-tested friend.
“Derogatory remarks made by 2 Deputy Ministers of the current Maldives Government, and a member of a political party in the ruling coalition, towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India in social media is reprehensible and odious. I call on the Government to reprimand these officials,” he said.
“Public figures must maintain decorum. India is a time-tested friend and an unwavering ally. They have historically been the first to respond in our time of need. Our close relationship has been bound by mutual respect, history, culture and strong people-to-people relations,” he said.
On its official social media handle, the Maldives National Party also strongly criticised the “racist and derogatory comments” made by government officials, calling them unacceptable and urging the government to take necessary action against those involved.
A host of Indian actors and celebrities too took to social media to criticise the derogatory remarks. Actor Akshay Kumar said, “Came across comments from prominent public figures from Maldives passing hateful and racist comments on Indians. Surprised that they are doing this to a country that sends them the maximum number of tourists. We are good to our neighbours but why should we tolerate such unprovoked hate? I’ve visited the Maldives many times and always praised it, but dignity first. Let us decide to Explore Indian Islands and support our own tourism.”
Salman Khan, John Abraham, Shradha Kapoor and Sachin Tendulkar also posted photographs from their time in Lakshadweep or other Indian beach destinations.
Salman Khan said, “It is so cool to see our PM Narendrabhai Modi at the beautiful clean n stunning beaches of Lakshadweep, and the best part is that yeh hamare India mein hain.” Tendulkar, on the other hand, posted photographs from his recent trip to Sindhudurg, saying, “India is blessed with beautiful coastlines and pristine islands. With our “Atithi Devo Bhava” philosophy, we have so much to explore, so many memories waiting to be created.”
“Boycott Maldives” also trended on social media with many users talking about cancelling their hotel bookings and flight tickets to Maldives over “the insult to PM Modi”.
According to statistics of the Maldivian Tourism Ministry, India held the top position as the primary source of tourists for the Maldives, with 209,198 visitors as of December 2023, while Russians constituted the second-largest group exploring the island country.
Former Maldivian sports minister Ahmed Maloof, while expressing concern “about the escalating situation regarding the sensitive comments about our closest neighbour”, said in a post on X: “Indians boycotting the Maldives would have a huge impact on our economy. It would be hard for us to recover from such a campaign.”
Aisha Patel is a dedicated Indian correspondent with a deep understanding of the nation’s diverse affairs. With a background in Indian culture, politics, and current events, she provides in-depth analysis and timely reporting on domestic issues within India.
