NEW DELHI: The Maldives government on Sunday suspended three of its ministers over derogatory remarks made against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he posted about his trip to Lakshadweep on social media platform X.
According to several media reports, ministers Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef, and Mahzoom Majid have been suspended for triggering a massive row which has resulted in 'Boycott Maldives' trending on social media platforms.
"The foreign ministry has issued a statement on social media posts that are insulting to neighbouring India ... Those who made such posts on social media while in government positions have now been suspended from their jobs," the Maldives government said in a statement, without revealing the names of those who have been suspended.
Earlier in the day - under immense pressure to set the record straight and assure India -- the Maldives government had distanced itself from the derogatory remarks made by Shiuna and other leaders.
In a statement, the government had said the "opinions are personal and do not represent the views of the Government of Maldives".
“The government believes that the 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 international partners,” the Maldives government statement added.
“The relevant authorities of the government will not hesitate to take action against those who make such derogatory remarks,” the statement added.
Former presidents condemn 'hateful language'
Former president of Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who was defeated by pro-China leader Mohamed Muizzu in the recent elections, condemned 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," he said.
Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed also condemned the local leaders for their derogatory remarks and said such language was "appalling", adding that India is a "key ally" for the security and prosperity of the archipelago nation.
Former foreign minister of Maldives Abdulla Shahid called the remarks made by Maldivian leaders as "reprehensible and odious".
Boycott Maldives
The anti-India comments prompted several Indian celebrities and social media influencers to call for a boycott of the Maldives and its tourist spots.
Amid Maldives row, Salman Khan, Shraddha Kapoor, Akshay Kumar and other celebs ask Indians to plan Lakshadweep trip: 'Why should we tolerate such unprovoked hate?'
Many social media users posted pictures of their cancelled hotel stays or air tickets to Maldives.
Actor Akshay Kumar, Sachin Tendulkar, cricketer Aakash Chopra and others appealed to Indians to cancel trips to Maldives and instead opt for domestic destinations.
Meanwhile actors Salman Khan, John Abraham, Shraddha Kapoor, and others praised Lakshadweep's beauty.
Indian tourists made up a large chunk of visitors to the Maldives till December 2023.
According to the Maldives tourism ministry, a total of 1,757,939 tourists arrived in the island nation till December 13, an increase of 12.6% compared to the 1.5 million arrivals recorded in 2022.
The largest number of tourists who visited the Maldives were from India (2,09,198), followed by Russia (2,09,146) and China (1,87,118).
In the October-December quarter of 2021, 1.15 lakh passengers travelled between India and Maldives on direct flights -- this translates to nearly 1,250 passengers a day each way between India and Maldives.
This is a developing story
English (US) ·