According to the local publication Atoll Times, the Maldives government barred three deputy ministers on Sunday for disparaging Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. In its policy manual, the government promises that it “won’t hesitate to take action against those who make such derogatory remarks.”
Malsha Sharif, Mahzoom Maajid, and Mariyam Shiuna are the three suspended ministers.
“The Government of the Maldive is aware of derogatory remarks on social media platforms against foreign leaders and high-ranking individuals,” the government said in a statement. The author’s own thoughts may not necessarily reflect those of the Maldivian government.
The deputy minister for youth empowerment, Mariyam Shiuna, came under fire from former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed for her derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the social media site X.
Shiuna posted pictures of Modi from his most recent visit to Lakshadweep in a since-deleted tweet. “What absurdity. Mr. Narendra, the Israeli puppet, is wearing a life jacket. This article featured the hashtag “#VisitMaldives #SunnySideOfLife.” India, she said, was like cow excrement.
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Malsha Sharif, Shiuna’s fellow deputy minister, also made disparaging remarks towards India and the Maldives tourist campaign.
These opinions encouraged other users to write a wide range of racist slurs aimed against Indians and Indian tourists visiting the Maldives, along with remarks by well-known politicians and leaders.
Nasheed tweeted, “What appalling language by Maldives Government official @shiuna_m towards the leader of a key ally that is instrumental for the Maldives’ security and prosperity,” in a post on X. @MMuizzu. Nasheed is thought to be more India-friendly than the current administration. The administration needs to clarify right away that these remarks do not represent official government policy and to separate itself from them.
Modi’s tweets following his trip to the Maldives have sparked a social media fight between politicians, public servants, and Indian social media users. Others responded to social media users making fun of the Maldives by tweeting about the different ways India has assisted the Maldives over the years and some of the most notable examples of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Indian social media users created the hashtag “Boycott Maldives” in response to the disparaging comments made by Maldivians, and they vowed not to travel there for holidays.
The Maldivian government of Mohamed Muizzu “formally requested” in November 2023 that the Indian government “withdraw its military personnel” from the island nation.
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