MALDIVES’ President Mohammed Muizzu suspended three of his ministers after they commented on a social media post of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with slanderous remarks.
“Ministers Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna, and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid told Modi that he was a ‘clown’, ‘terrorist’ and a “’puppet of Israel’,” 3 Ministers, said.
Following public backlash, the said officials were suspended from their posts effective immediately.
The Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed the controversy, saying that the personal opinions of the ministers do not align with the official stance of the country.
The situation did not end without consequences however, after the Indian netizens called for a boycott on travelling to Maldives, with CEO of India ticket-booking site Easemytrip, Nishant Pitti announcing that his company had suspended all flight bookings to Maldives.
Maldives government apologizes to India.
Meanwhile, India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned Maldivian Ambassador Ibrahim Shaheeb to express the country’s serious concern about the comments of the aforementioned officials.
It can be noted that reports clarify that the 3 officials were only suspended despite calls for dismissal or termination from office from the public.
The controversy comes after already high tensions between Maldives and India, after Maldivian President Muizzu expressed that he wants Indian troops out of his country in October last year as their presence were a threat to the nation’s sovereignty and security.
