Maldives Envoy Summoned By MEA After Row Over Remarks On PM Modi

MEA summons Maldives envoy amid row over Maldivian ministers' social media posts against PM Narendra Modi.

Maldives High Commissioner Ibrahim Shaheeb ( Image Source :X | @AmbShaheeb )

Maldives High Commissioner Ibrahim Shaheeb was on Monday summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs amid a row over a Maldivian ministers' post against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his push to visit Lakshadweep. The controversy started after an Indian X user took a jibe at Maldives and called it a “puppet of China”. The concerned person also hinted at Lakshadweep being a better tourist destination than Maldives.

Responding to it, Maldives Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment Mariyam Shiuna used derogatory remarks against PM Narendra Modi and the other two ministers, Majid and Shareef, also used a similar language.

Maldives is often referred to as ‘Paradise on Earth’ and is a favourite holiday destination for celebrities around the world. Several Indian actors and actresses are often seen holidaying there. According to Maldivian government figures, around 210,000 Indian tourists visited Maldives in 2023.

PM Narendra Modi recently visited Lakshadweep and engaged in activities like snorkeling in an apparent push for tourism promotion on the island. The Government of Maldives Sunday suspended three of their deputy cabinet ministers – Abdulla Mahzoom Majid, Maryam Shiuna, and Malsha Shareef – after they made “derogatory” remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling him a “clown” and “puppet of Israel” even as the row threatened to disturb the bilateral ties between the two countries further, ABP LIVE has learnt.

The Maldivian government sought to distance itself from the remarks made by them and said those were done in “personal” capacity of the ministers, who have now been suspended, an official of the Maldivian government confirmed to ABP LIVE. 

Many actors and sports personalities took to X to express anguish over the incident and netizens too expressed anger with '#BoycottMaldives' on social media.  In New Delhi, as per PTI, official sources said the Indian high commission in Male strongly raised the matter with the Maldivian foreign ministry on Sunday.