Maldives suspends officials for derogatory comments against India and PM Modi

The Maldives has suspended three deputy ministers who made derogatory comments about India and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The officials had responded to a social media post from Mr. Modi, calling him a “clown”, “terrorist”, and a “puppet of Israel”. This incident has created tension between India and the island nation, especially after the new Maldivian president Mohamed Muizzu asked a contingent of Indian troops to leave the country. The suspended ministers are Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna, and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid. Despite calls for their immediate termination, they have been only suspended currently. Indian social media users have expressed outrage over the comments, leading to hashtags like #BoycottMaldives and #ExploreIndianIslands trending. Some Indian tourists even vowed to cancel their trips to the Maldives, causing concern in the tourism industry. Indian ticket-booking site EaseMyTrip has suspended all flight bookings to the Maldives in response to the controversy. Prominent individuals, including Bollywood star Akshay Kumar and former Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, have condemned the derogatory language used by the officials. Solih stated that India has always been a good friend to the Maldives, and such remarks should not impact the age-old friendship between the two countries. The controversial posts have been deleted, but the incident has cast a shadow on the upcoming state visit of President Muizzu to China, which is seen as a snub to India. Delhi is concerned about increasing Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean region and the Maldives’ shift in diplomatic relations. India has security personnel in the Maldives to maintain donated rescue and surveillance aircraft, which has further exacerbated tensions. The Maldives’ decision to terminate the bilateral agreement with India regarding mapping the seabed in Maldivian waters and President Muizzu’s plan to review all previous agreements signed with India indicate a desire to diminish India’s influence in the region. This is a diplomatic setback for India in its competition with China for influence in the strategically located islands of the Maldives