Three deputy ministers were sanctioned for social media posts about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Maldives government has suspended three deputy ministers after they made derogatory comments about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media.
Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid, who worked for the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts, were sanctioned for their anti-Modi comments on social media, a senior government official told Reuters on Sunday.
The three had variously described Modi as a “clown”, “terrorist” and “Israel’s puppet” on the social media platform the Arabian Sea.
In the Maldives, some saw Modi’s visit as an attempt to lure tourists away from the globally popular Maldives, whose 1,192 islands in the Indian Ocean are dotted with luxury resorts.
Recently I had the opportunity to be among the people of Lakshadweep. I am still in awe of the stunning beauty of its islands and the incredible warmth of its people. I got the opportunity to interact with people from Agatti, Bangaram and Kavaratti. I thank the people of… pic.twitter.com/tYW5Cvgi8N
– Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 4, 2024
According to Indian media reports, the Indian High Commission in the Maldives raised the issue with the Maldivian government.
Some Indian celebrities, including Bollywood actors and sports stars, expressed displeasure over the comments by Maldivian officials.
“I came across comments from prominent Maldivian public figures making racist and hateful comments against Indians. I am surprised that they are doing this to a country that sends them the maximum number of tourists,” Akshay Kumar, a popular Indian actor, said in X.
In a statement on Sunday, the Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged that it was aware of derogatory comments 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,” the statement said.
Former President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih condemned the use of “hate language” against India.
“India has always been a good friend of the Maldives and we must not allow such insensitive comments to negatively affect the long-standing friendship between our two countries,” Solih said in a post on X.
I condemn the use of hate language against #India by Maldivian government officials on social media. India has always been a good friend of Maldives and we must not allow such insensitive comments to negatively affect the long-standing friendship between our two countries.
-Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (@ibusolih) January 7, 2024
A senior administration official told AFP that Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu had ordered an investigation.
The official said Muizzu is concerned about the repercussions as Indians are the largest group of foreign visitors to the Maldives, where tourism accounts for almost a third of the economy.
Trip to china
The dispute comes days after the announcement that President Muizzu will visit China. On Friday, China’s Foreign Ministry said Muizzu will pay a state visit to the country from Jan. 8 to 12. Both India and China have been competing for influence in the region.
Muizzu, who won the presidential election in September, campaigned to upend the Maldives’ “India First” policy and promised the elimination of a small Indian military presence of about 75 troops. Last month he said India had agreed to withdraw its soldiers from the Maldives.
But after coming to power, Muizzu toned down his anti-India rhetoric and said he would not upset the regional balance by replacing Indian forces with Chinese troops.
