Former Maldives minister condemns derogatory remarks against PM Modi, India

Former Foreign Minister of the Maldives Abdullah Shahid described the offensive remarks made on social media against the former and other Indian locals as “odious” and “reprehensible” during the uproar of protests around a deputy minister’s disparaging remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Calling on the Maldivian government to identify the officials responsible and reprimand them, the former Foreign minister posted from his official X handle, “Derogatory remarks made by two Deputy Ministers of the current Maldives Government, and a member of a political party in the ruling coalition, towards Prime Minister @narendramodi and the people of India in social media is reprehensible and odious.”

“Public figures must maintain decorum. They must accept that they are no longer social media activists and that they are now entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the interests of the people and the country,” he added.

He emphasized that New Delhi has been the first to react in “our time of need” and that India is the Maldives’ “time-tested” friend and “unwavering” ally. He wrote, “History, culture, mutual respect, and strong people-to-people relations have bound our close relationship.”

Abdullah Shahid’s comments follow those of Mariyam Shiuna, the Maldivian deputy minister for youth empowerment, who disparaged Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the social networking site X.

Shiuna shared several photos of PM Modi from his recent trip to Lakshadweep in her now-deleted post.

On January 2, PM Modi paid a visit to the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. He uploaded a number of photos from his tour, including one of him snorkeling, which he described as a “exhilarating experience.”

In a series of posts on X, PM Modi shared pictures of the white beaches and the pristine blue skies and the ocean, and tagged them with a message that read, “For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list.”

“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 had the opportunity to interact with people in Agatti, Bangaram and Kavaratti. I thank the people of the islands for their hospitality. Here are some glimpses, including aerial glimpses from Lakshadweep…During my stay, I also tried snorkelling – what an exhilarating experience it was! For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list,” PM Modi posted on X.

On Tuesday, he also lay the groundwork for development projects in Agatti valued at more than Rs 1,150 crore.

In response to the controversy over the minister’s comments earlier on Sunday, the Maldivian government stated that the views expressed were personal and did not align with its own.

It further stated that the minister at the center of the controversy will face the proper consequences.

Male stated that it is aware of disparaging comments made on social media sites about foreign dignitaries and prominent people.

“These opinions are personal and do not represent the views of the Government of Maldives,” read an official release by the Maldivian Foreign Ministry.

In addition, the Maldives government stated that it thinks exercising the right to free speech should be done so in a way that “does not spread hatred, negativity, and hinder close relationships between the Maldives and its international partners.”

(With agency inputs)