New Delhi: The Maldives government has “suspended” three deputy ministers and distanced from their social media posts that were derogatory about the Indian prime minister after a social media controversy erupted over his visit to the Lakshadweep islands.
Earlier on Saturday, Indian supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party on social media had projected Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep over the New Year weekend as a signal to Indian tourists to consider replacing Maldives with other Indian tourist destinations.
In response, several members of the ruling Maldives government, including at least three officials and MPs, had posted riposte which criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the behaviour of Indians. Further fuel was added to the social media uproar with Bollywood film stars, many of whom are popular in Maldives, posting tweets that they will not visit the Indian Ocean island nation due to the insulting posts by Maldivian ministers.
The controversy erupted on the same day that Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu embarked on a five-day visit to China.
On Sunday afternoon, the Maldivian government issued a statement disassociating itself from those remarks.
“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,” said the statement issued by the foreign ministry.
It asserted that 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”.
The statement also warned that the Maldives government “will not hesitate to take action against those who make such derogatory remarks”.
A couple of hours later, the president’s office informed reporters in Malé through WhatsApp that three ministers have been suspended. They have been identified in the Maldivian media as deputy ministers in the youth ministry, Malsha Sharif, Mariyum Shiuna and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid.
There has been no official statement from the president’s office about the suspension, which stops them from representing the government, but is less than a removal from the cabinet. It is also not clear how long the ‘suspension’ will last.
Official sources said that the Indian High Commission also sought clarification from the Maldives government about the social media remarks of the Maldivian government officials. “Our High Commission in Maldives had strongly raised and expressed concerns about the comments made in regard to PM by certain ministers in the Maldives government with the Foreign Office today,” said the sources.
Earlier in the day, former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed had singled out Mariyum Shiuna for her “appalling language” towards the “leader of a key ally, that is instrumental for Maldives’ security and prosperity”.
He had also urged President Muizzu to “distance itself from these comments and give clear assurance to India they do not reflect gov policy”.
What appalling language by Maldives Government official @shiuna_m towards the leader of a key ally, that is instrumental for Maldives’ security and prosperity. @MMuizzu gov must distance itself from these comments and give clear assurance to India they do not reflect gov policy.
— Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) January 7, 2024
Ibrahim Solih, former president who lost his re-election bid to Muizzu, also tweeted that he condemned the “hateful language” against India by Maldivian government officials. “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 posted.
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.
— Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (@ibusolih) January 7, 2024
The principal opposition party, the Maldivian Democratic Party, claimed that the remarks by the senior government officials were “not isolated incidents but the result of a hate-mongering campaign by PPM/PNC’s leadership”.
“It resulted from an organized misinformation campaign and a culture of hatred cultivated by PPM/PNC for their political gain. The lack of diplomatic values and professionalism and the sheer incompetence of senior government officials have damaged our international standing irrevocably,” said the MDP statement.
It also claimed that the statement of the foreign ministry distancing themselves from the ministers was “half-hearted and disingenuous”.
“The MDP would like to remind the government that their actions have consequences that could negatively affect the lives of our beloved people.
In a statement issued before the news of the suspension of ministers was published, the opposition MDP demanded the immediate removal of the officials.
Another Maldivian politician, A. Faris Maumoon, who had stood unsuccessfully in the presidential election, had also criticised the government statement’s as insufficient. “There is no acknowledgment of responsibility, but rather a defense that government officials have the right to contravene official policy. Maldives’ international standing has been harmed – political loyalty to individuals absolutely cannot have priority over the interests of the country,” he tweeted.
This statement by @MoFAmv is not nearly sufficient. There is no acknowledgment of responsibility, but rather a defense that government officials have the right to contravene official policy.
Maldives’ international standing has been harmed – political loyalty to individuals… https://t.co/vWGGOVYCj7
— faris 🇲🇻 🇵🇸 (@afarismaumoon) January 7, 2024
Speaking to The Wire, Ahmed Mohamed, who had been Maldives’ ambassador to India under the Abdulla Yameen government, said that the uproar over Modi’s visit was perplexing. “I find it difficult to understand the escalation of this social media situation to such a level of rage.”
He described the language used by the Maldivian government officials as “unnecessary and unwarranted”. “They should be held accountable for their derogatory remarks. It is important for the government to distance itself from this contentious debate and employ diplomatic channels to convey its unwavering commitment to maintaining amicable relations with neighbouring countries,” added Mohamed.
Maldives’ former foreign minister Ahmed Shaheed also expressed puzzlement that a sojourn by the Indian prime minister to an Indian island led to this controversy. He stated that “there was no need for government officials to react with xenophobic remarks when Maldivian tourism industry has not expressed apprehension about external competition from India”.
India had been the largest source for tourists to Maldives last year. India had narrowly beaten Russia to the first position with 209,198 tourists in 2023. This month, India has slipped to the third position after Italy and Russia, as per the latest statistics of the Maldivian tourism ministry.
The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) also issued a statement “to dispel misinformation” that efforts to “foster Lakshwadeep island’s tourism sector has no discernible negative effect on the Maldives’ tourism industry”.
“In such development would prove complementary to Maldivian tourism, creating opportunities for both regions. The synergies between the two destinations can enhance the overall appeal for travelers and encourage more cruise liners to explore this vibrant and culturally rich region,” they said.
The association noted that the Indian market “plays a pivotal role in the success of the Maldivian tourism sector, supporting guest houses and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that depend on the influx of Indian visitors”. They urged the stakeholders to “recognize the interconnectedness of our economies and the shared benefits that come from a harmonious relationship between the Maldives and India”.
There has been no official statement from the Indian government over the latest fracas, but there has been rising consternation over the series of steps taken by the Maldives government of President Muizzu since he took over the presidency last November.
He had successfully won the election on an electoral platform targeting the previous government of President Ibrahim Solih for fostering close ties with India. He had promised to make India withdraw its personnel posted in Maldives to operate two helicopters and a Dornnier aircraft.
It was, therefore, not a surprise when the Maldives government made a formal request for their withdrawal on the second day of the Muizzu presidency.
Thereafter, Maldives also announced that it will not renew a bilateral hydrographic survey agreement that would expire this year.
Even more significantly, Muizzu not only did not choose India as his first foreign destination in contrast to his predecessors, but also prioritised a visit to China instead.
