MALÉ: Three deputy ministers were suspended by Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu on Sunday for allegedly making “derogatory remarks” about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to the administration.
After winning elections in September on the basis of promises to remove a small number of Indian military piloting marine planes from his archipelago, Muizzu suspended the ministers’ activities while an investigation was conducted.
Following the prime minister’s visit to the Indian territory of Lakshadweep, a group of atolls immediately north of the Maldives, one deputy minister, Mariyam Shiuna, had referred to Modi as a “clown”.
The youth ministry is home to Abdulla Mahzoon, Shiuna, and Malsha Shareef, the three suspended ministers. According to officials, they criticized Modi on social media.
“The government of Maldives is aware of derogatory remarks on social media platforms against foreign leaders and high ranking individuals,” according to a statement released by the government. “These opinions are personal and do not represent the views of the government of Maldives.”
According to AFP, a senior administrative officer, Muizzu had launched an investigation and suspended the three people.
Indian tourists make up the majority of foreign visitors to the Maldives, where tourism contributes nearly one-third of the country’s GDP, thus he claimed Male was worried about the consequences.
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On January 4, Modi shared a social media post complimenting the “pristine beaches” of India’s Lakshadweep islands, which are located at their closest point approximately 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of the Maldives.
He uploaded pictures of himself snorkeling and said that any traveler looking for adventure should make the islands a priority.
The Maldives, well-known for its upscale vacation spots and private resorts, are becoming a major geopolitical player.
The nation’s chain of 1,192 small coral islands stretches around 800 kilometers (500 miles) across the equator and is traversed by global east-west shipping routes.
In December, Muizzu, who was perceived during elections as a stand-in for former pro-China leader Abdulla Yameen, declared that India had consented to the army withdrawal.
However, Muizzu softened his stance against India after becoming power and vowed not to upset the balance of power in the region by sending Chinese troops in place of Indian military.
