Mati (the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry) condemned the disrespectful statement made by the three deputy ministers on their official social media handles (formerly called Twitter) against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India after he visited Lakshadweep.
In a statement released by Mati, they said they strongly condemn the derogatory comments directed against the Prime Minister of India made by the deputy minister of the Maldives on social media. India has always been a first responder to crises throughout its history, and they are grateful for the close relationship the government and the people of India have maintained with them.
They further added that India is a contributor to the tourism industry of the Maldives and assisted their recovery efforts during COVID-19. Since then, India has continued to remain one of our top markets. They urged that they wish that the close relationship between the two countries endures for generations to come and refrain from speech or action that may harm their good relationship.
The statement was issued after India’s biggest online travel platform, EaseMyTrip suspended flight bookings to the country. The CEO of EaseMyTrip, Prashant Pitti, took to his X/Twitter account and said they have decided that they will not accept any bookings for the Maldives.
MakeMyTrip, another prominent travel booking company, stated that they have seen a 3,400 percent increase in their platform searches for Lakshadweep since Mr Modi visited the islands of Lakshadweep. They are to launch a new campaign called “Beaches of India” for local travelers.
Additionally, the CAIT (Confederation of All India Traders) called upon all domestic traders and exporters to refrain from doing any business with the Maldives. The call for a boycott aims to express solidarity and register strong disapproval against such behavior.
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Lakshadweep vs Maldives row
The entire controversy surfaced after a series of photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lakshadweep were posted on X. “Recently, I had the opportunity to be among the citizens of Lakshadweep, and I am in awe of the stunning beauty of its islands and the warmth of its people,” wrote Modi in the post’s caption, and he praised the locals for their hospitality.
This tweet triggered the controversy after Abdulla Mahzoom Majid accused India of targeting his country. In his tweet, he mentioned that India still faces significant challenges in competing with them when it comes to tourism. This was followed by Mariyam Shiuna’s tweet, where she called Modi “a clown” and a “puppet of Israel.”
Zahid Rameez, a member of the Progressive Party of Maldives, said that India was delusional if they were thinking of competing with the Maldives in tourism. He further made an offensive comment about the “permanent smell in the rooms.”
Celebrities condemn the tweets
Several Bollywood celebrities including Shraddha Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, and John Abraham condemned the derogatory tweets against the country. Most had a common message on their feed that urged Indians to plan Lakshadweep trip with the hashtag #ExploreIndianIslands. Ranveer Singh urged people to make 2024 about exploring India and its culture.
Israel also backed India indirectly after it announced the commencement of a key project on the archipelago. They are the first foreign nation to support India’s efforts to promote tourism in the islands.
Action against the ministers
Initially, the foreign ministry said that they were aware of the derogatory remarks against India and that their personal views do not represent its position. 3 ministers in the young ministry- Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid—have been suspended.
The former president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, advised the current government to distance itself from such comments and give an assurance to India that they do not reflect government policy.
Also Read: Controversial : Know All about the India-Maldives Row in 2024
