The controversy started after some government officials from Maldives commented negatively about India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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Three deputy ministers from the Maldives’ Ministry of Youth Affairs, namely Maryam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef, and Mahzoom Majid, expressed unfavorable opinions about Prime Minister after his recent trip to Lakshadweep.
Shiuna, talking on X (formerly Twitter), mentioned India’s ties with Israel. Others joined in, saying the Prime Minister’s visit to Lakshadweep might affect Maldivian tourism known for its beautiful beach facilities.
Maldivian Government’s Response to the situation
The three ministers suspended by the Malvidian Government
On Monday, the Maldivian high commissioner to India, Ibrahim Shaheeb, met with the external affairs ministry. He was strongly criticized for derogatory remarks made by some ministers in President Mohamed Muizzu’s government on social media against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The envoy was informed that the strained bilateral relationship needed fixing, and it was emphasized that President Muizzu should take responsibility for repairing it. Additionally, the high commissioner was urged to not just suspend but dismiss the three junior ministers involved.
After the Indian government brought up the concern, the Maldives government took action by suspending three ministers. They mentioned that they are aware of disrespectful comments on social media about foreign leaders, clarifying that these are personal views and not the government’s stance. While supporting freedom of expression, they emphasized the importance of being responsible when expressing opinions.
Former Deputy Minister Eva Abdulla expresses her disapproval against the comments made by the Maldivian ministers
During the on-going controversy, former Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla expressed her disapproval, deeming the comments “shameful and racist.” In an interview with NDTV, she acknowledged the justified anger from Indians, describing the remarks as outrageous. Ms. Abdulla, also a current MP, emphasized that these comments don’t represent the views of the Maldivian people. Personally apologizing to the people of India, she urged an end to the boycott campaign against Maldives.
We shouldn’t judge the views of all Maldivian people based on the opinions of just a few individuals. Our request to the Indian community is to come back to the Maldives, and let’s put an end to the boycott initiative.” added Ms.Abdulla
India’s response to the row
Various celebs expressed their views on the matter
In the midst of tensions between the two countries, various Indian celebrities, including Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar, Pooja Hegde, Madhur Bhandarkar, PV Sindhu, Shilpa Shetty, Varun Dhawan, and Snapdeal Co-founder Kunal Bahl, have expressed their interest in exploring the islands of India, particularly including Lakshadweep in their travel plans.
This controversy has resulted in a significant number of Indians choosing to cancel their holiday reservations in the Maldives, and screenshots depicting these cancellations have gained popularity on social media platform X. To redirect attention to the beauty of Indian beaches and islands, people are actively participating in discussions with the hashtag #ExploreIndianIslands, which has been trending on X since yesterday.
Following Bollywood celebrities’ collaboration to promote Lakshadweep as a tourist hotspot amid the Maldives dispute, iconic actor Amitabh Bachchan expressed his admiration for the our island, lauding its “astonishingly beautiful location.”
The 81-year-old star shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) from ex-cricketer Virendra Sehwag. Sehwag criticized the Maldives ministers’ “dig at our country and our Prime Minister.” Bachchan echoed Sehwag’s sentiment, suggesting that India can turn challenges into opportunities, using this situation as a chance to develop infrastructure, attract tourists, and enhance the economy. Sehwag also encouraged people to share their favorite undiscovered beautiful places.
EaseMyTrip’s significant step towards bycotting Maldives tourism
EaseMyTrip has taken a significant step. The online travel company, led by Nishant Pitti, its co-founder and CEO, has decided to suspend all flight bookings to the Maldives. Nishant Pitti announced this decision on social media, specifically on X (formerly Twitter), expressing solidarity with India. He mentioned that the move is in response to the disrespectful comments made by certain ministers who have been suspended. EaseMyTrip also initiated the #ChaloLakshadweep campaign in support of India.
On January 4, Prashant Pitti, one of the co-founder of the Indian Travel Agency, shared that the beauty of Lakshadweep’s water and beaches rivals that of Maldives and Seychelles. He expressed that EaseMyTrip, his company, plans to introduce enticing special offers to boost this pristine destination, especially after the recent visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
