New Delhi:
The Maldivian government today suspended three ministers whose social media posts against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi sparked a massive firestorm, with several Indians claiming to have canceled their planned holidays to the country made up of more than a hundred islands dotted with luxury resorts. “The Ministry of External Affairs today issued a statement regarding the Indian government's position regarding some social media posts that are offensive to neighboring country India,” the Maldives government said in a statement.
“Those who posted such messages on social media while in government positions have now been suspended,” the statement said.
Ministers Maryam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef and Mahzoom Majid have been suspended.
It all started when these ministers and some other leaders in Maldives posted derogatory comments against Prime Minister Modi after he posted several photos and videos from his recent visit to Lakshadweep. His snorkeling posts went viral, prompting social media users to suggest India's smallest Union Territory as an alternative tourist destination to the Maldives.
The Maldivian government distanced itself from these comments earlier in the day, saying the views were “personal and do not represent the positions of the government” after several opposition leaders in the country criticized the “terrible language”.
Freedom of expression must be exercised in a democratic and responsible manner, and in a manner that does not spread hatred and negativity and hinder close relations between the Maldives and its international partners, the report said.
The statement followed mass outrage in the Maldives, with several prominent leaders criticizing the comments against the country's 'nearest neighbour'. Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed described the comments as “appalling” and asked the government of President Mohamed Muizzu to distance itself from them.
Former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb strongly condemned the “derogatory and racist comments made by a group of Maldivian politicians”.
This comes as a major reassurance for India amid the diplomatic tussle with the island nation.
Ties between the two countries deteriorated after Mohamed Muizzu, whose election promise was to remove a small contingent of around 75 Indian soldiers from the country and change the Maldives' 'India first' policy, took over as president of the Indian Ocean country. November.
Unlike most of his predecessors who visited India first after being elected, Muizzu chose Turkey as his first international port of call. He later met Prime Minister Modi in the United Arab Emirates on the sidelines of COP28. The two countries have formed a core group to discuss the withdrawal of Indian troops.
Indian personnel are deployed to fly three skilled aircraft that patrol the maritime area.
The geography of both destinations is very similar as both places have low-lying islands, reefs and pristine beaches. Lakshadweep and the Maldives are separated by the Eight Degree Channel.