Indian travel and booking platform EaseMyTrip on Monday said it has suspended all flight bookings to Maldives on its website "in solidarity" with India. Nishant Pitti, CEO at EaseMyTrip, in a series of posts on X, said the "Water & beaches of Lakshadweep are as good as Maldives/Seychelles. We at @EaseMyTrip will come up with crazy special-offers to promote this pristine destination that our PM @narendramodi has recently visited!" The EaseMyTrip CEO also asked travellers "to discover the enchanting beauty of Ayodhya and the pristine allure of Lakshadweep" and "Say no to Maldives bookings and explore the wonders of Ayodhya and Lakshadweep".
In another post on X, Pitti said, "Embark on a journey with @EaseMyTrip to discover the enchanting beauty of Ayodhya and the pristine allure of Lakshadweep! Immerse yourself in rich culture and breathtaking landscapes. Say no to Maldives bookings and explore the wonders of Ayodhya and Lakshadweep. Watch our video on the new website to ignite your wanderlust! #ExploreWithEase #Ayodhya #Lakshadweep". "In solidarity with our nation, @EaseMyTrip has suspended all Maldives flight bookings".
On January 4, Prashant Pitti tweeted, "Water & beaches of Lakshadweep are as good as Maldives/Seychelles We at @EaseMyTrip will come up with crazy special-offers to promote this pristine destination that our PM @narendramodi has recently visited!
On the other hand, Raj Rishi Singh, chief marketing and business officer, MakeMyTrip, on Monday said that Lakshadweep has seen a staggering 3400 per cent increase in on-platform searches ever since PM Narendra Modi's visit. As per ANI tweet, Raj Rishi Singh said, "This inspired us to build a 'Beaches of India' campaign. Under this, the customers can get knowledge about the beaches of India."
Meanwhile, Maldivian envoy to India was on Monday summoned to the external affairs ministry and was conveyed strong concern over remarks posted on social media against Prime Minister Modi by a number of ministers of the Maldives, sources told PTI. The government of the Maldives on Sunday suspended three deputy ministers for derogatory social media posts against Modi. The three deputy ministers criticised Modi for his post on X following his visit to Lakshadweep, inferring that it was an attempt to project the Union Territory as an alternative tourist destination to the Maldives.
According to Maldivian media reports, deputy ministers in the youth ministry, Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna, and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid, have been suspended over their posts.