Ministers Maryam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef and Mahzoom Majid were suspended.
New Delhi:
The Maldivian government today suspended three ministers whose social media posts against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi sparked a huge firestorm, with several Indians saying they had canceled their planned vacations to the country of more than ‘a hundred islands dotted with luxury hotel complexes. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today issued a statement on the Indian government’s position regarding certain social media posts that insult neighboring India,” the Maldives government said in a statement.
“Those who posted such messages on social media while holding government positions have now been suspended from their jobs,” the statement said.
Ministers Maryam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef and Mahzoom Majid were suspended.
It all started when these ministers and other Maldives leaders posted derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Modi after he posted several photos and videos from his recent visit to Lakshadweep. His posts in which he was seen snorkeling went viral, prompting social media users to suggest India’s smallest union territory as an alternative tourist destination to the Maldives.
Earlier in the day, the Maldivian government distanced itself from the remarks and said the opinions were « personal and do not represent the views of the government », after several of the country’s opposition leaders criticized the « language terrible. »
Freedom of expression must be exercised in a democratic and accountable manner, and in a manner that does not spread hatred and negativity, and does not hinder the close relations between the Maldives and its international partners, he said. declared.
The statement follows massive outrage in the Maldives, with several prominent leaders criticizing comments made against the nation’s « nearest neighbor. » Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed called the comments « appalling » and called on President Mohamed Muizzu’s government to distance itself from the comments.
Former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb strongly condemned the “derogatory and racist comments made by a group of Maldivian politicians”.
This comes as a big comfort to India amid the diplomatic tussle with the island nation.
Relations between the two countries deteriorated after Mohamed Muizzu, whose election promise was to withdraw a small contingent of around 75 Indian military personnel from the country and change the Maldives’ « India first » policy, took the presidency of the Indian Ocean nation in 2017. November.
Unlike most of his predecessors who traveled to India after being elected, Mr. Muizzu chose Turkey as his first international port of call. He then met Prime Minister Modi in the United Arab Emirates on the sidelines of COP28. The two countries have set up a core group to discuss the withdrawal of Indian troops.
Indian personnel are deployed to operate three capable aircraft patrolling the maritime territory.
The geography of these two destinations is very similar as both places have low lying islands, reefs and pristine beaches. Lakshadweep and the Maldives are separated by the Eight Degrees Canal.
