Maldives Row: Ex-Prez Solih condemns ‘hate speech’ and says ‘India has always been a good friend’
A huge uproar broke out after a deputy minister of Maldives and some other government officials shared derogatory messages about Prime Minister Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep.
Maldives row: Former Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Sunday stated that India has always been a good friend of the Maldives as he criticized the current dispensation leaders and government officials for using ‘hate speech’ on social media platforms against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India.
“I condemn the use of hate speech against India by Maldivian government officials on social media,” Solih wrote on his official X handle.
“India has always been a good friend of the Maldives and we should not allow such insensitive comments to negatively impact the age-old friendship between our two countries,” the former President of Maldives stressed.
Maldives-India Row
A huge uproar broke out after a Maldivian deputy minister and some other government officials shared derogatory messages about Prime Minister Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep.
In a post that has now been deleted, Maldivian Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment Shiuna made a mocking and disrespectful reference to Prime Minister Modi over his visit to the Indian archipelago.
The minister’s post also included images of Prime Minister Modi from his visit to Lakshadweep.
Visit of PM Modi Lakshadweep
PM Modi visited Lakshadweep on January 2 and shared several photos, including an ‘exhilarating experience’ after he tried snorkeling.
In a series of posts on .”
“Recently I got the opportunity to be among the people of Lakshadweep. I am still in awe of the stunning beauty of the islands and the incredible warmth of the people. I got a chance 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 views of Lakshadweep,” PM Modi posted on X.
“During my stay I also tried snorkeling – what an exciting experience that was! For those who want to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep should be on your list,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi also laid the foundation stone for development projects worth over Rs 1,150 crore in Agatti on Tuesday.
Celebrities advocate promoting local tourism and slam Maldives’ comments
Meanwhile, Indian celebrities from different walks of life formed a united front in condemning the leaders of Maldives for their derogatory comments against India and Prime Minister Modi. The celebrities also expressed their support for promoting indigenous beach tourism and boycotting the island as a favorite tourist destination.
“Come across comments from prominent public figures from the Maldives making hateful and racist comments about Indians. Surprised that they do this to a country that sends them the maximum number of tourists. We are good to our neighbors, but why should we tolerate such unprovoked hatred? I have visited the Maldives many times and have always praised it, but dignity comes first. Let’s decide to #ExploreIndianIslands and support our own tourism,” wrote Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar on X.
(With input from agencies)