Sharing an image of his on social media from a beach in Lakshadweep on January 5, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote the caption, "For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list." The seemingly ordinary post on X has ignited a dispute, possibly creating tension between India and Maldives.
The controversy began when three deputy ministers in the Ministry of Youth Affairs in Maldives, Maryam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef, and Mahzoom Majid, made 'derogatory comments' about India and the Prime Minister in relation to the post, and has been unfolding since.
Maldives stands as a significant maritime neighbour for India in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The island nation also holds a distinct position in India's initiatives such as 'SAGAR' (Security and Growth for All in the Region). Additionally, Maldives is a focal point for the Modi government as part of the 'Neighbourhood First Policy'.
However, tension between India and the island nation had already begun after the newly elected President Mohamed Muizzu asked a contingent of about 75 Indian troops to leave the country after he came to power last year.
BOOM explains how the controversy continues to unravel and the ripple effects of the same.
What was Maldives' response following the controversy?
On X, Shiuna made mention of India's ties with Israel in a now-deleted post. Following her comment, her colleagues joined in, proposing that the visit of the Indian Prime Minister to Lakshadweep was aimed at competing with Maldivian tourism, recognised for its acclaimed beachside facilities.
Following this, Maldives National Party in a post on X wrote that it “condemns racist and derogatory comments made by a government official” against a foreign leader. “This is unacceptable. We urge the government to take necessary action against those involved,” it added.
As a result, the Maldives government suspended the three deputy ministers Shareef, Shiuna and Majid for calling Modi a "clown", "terrorist" and "puppet of Israel". In a statement, the Maldives government said, “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.”
The Maldives government further said that it “believes in freedom of expression but that has to be exercised in a responsible manner”.
Saddened by the row, former Vice President of Maldives Ahmed Adeeb said, " When you are in an elected position, you should not engage as an activist. One has to be more responsible and also these degraded remarks towards the global leader Prime Minister Modi are not acceptable." He further stated that tourism should be built "on the basis of tolerance, harmony, friendship and hospitality".
Former Maldives sports minister Ahmed Mahloof also expressed concern over the row saying, “Indians boycotting the Maldives would have a huge impact on our economy. It would be hard for us to recover from such a campaign." He called upon the government to swiftly take serious action in order to solve the issue as soon as possible.
How did the Indian social media community respond?
Amidst the India-Maldives dispute, notable Indian figures such as Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar, Pooja Hegde, Madhur Bhandarkar, PV Sindhu, Shilpa Shetty, Varun Dhawan, and Snapdeal co-founder Kunal Bahl have expressed their desire to explore the islands of India, particularly including Lakshadweep in their travel plans.
This controversy has also prompted many Indians to cancel their Maldives holiday bookings, as evidenced by trending screenshots on X. Additionally, X is abuzz with discussions about Indian beaches and islands, marked by the trending hashtag #ExploreIndianIslands since Sunday.
Nishant Pitti, the CEO of travel agency company EaseMyTrip, announced the suspension of all flight reservations to the Maldives on X, saying, "@EaseMyTrip has halted all Maldives flight bookings." The company has additionally aligned itself with the 'Visit Lakshadweep' initiative, striving to boost the appeal of this domestic destination.
Pitti further praised the captivating water and beaches of Lakshadweep, drawing comparisons to the Maldives and Seychelles, and promised exclusive promotions to encourage interest in the locale.
What are the recent developments?
Post the disparging remarks by the Maldivian ministers, the Indian government summoned the island country envoy. The Maldivian government conveyed to India's High Commissioner Munu Muhawar that the derogatory comments made by three deputy ministers, who have since been suspended, regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi, do not align with its official stance.
This message was conveyed during a scheduled meeting between the Indian High Commissioner and Dr Ali Naseer Mohamed, the Ambassador-at-Large at the Foreign Ministry, on Monday.
The Indian High Commission posted on X, “High Commissioner Munu Mahawar had a pre-arranged meeting with H.E. Dr Ali Naseer Mohamed, Ambassador at Large, at MoFA, Maldives, today to discuss bilateral issues.”
Furthermore, in the wake of the ongoing tensions, online travel booking app MakeMyTrip announced on Monday that there has been a whooping 3,400 percent surge in on-platform searches for Lakshadweep following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to the union territory. Capitalising on this heightened customer interest, MakeMyTrip introduced the 'Beaches of India' campaign, featuring special offers and discounts for travelers to discover the country's exquisite beaches.