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Internet troll’s caustic post attracts Maldives politicians to bad-mouth India, triggers major row

Team India Sentinels 12.31pm, Sunday, January 7, 2024.

A photo posted by Narendra Modi on X shows him at a beach in Lakshadweep.

New Delhi: A post on X by a prominent Indian-origin user which attracted some politicians from the Maldives snowballed into a major row between Indian and Maldivian X users, including celebrities, on Sunday. This eventually led the Indian high commissioner to the Maldives, Munu Mahawar, to raise the issue with Male.

It started with the Indian-origin user, who goes by the handle of @MrSinha_ and is widely considered as a troll, tweeting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep, on January 4, praising the visit as a “great move” to boost tourism in the islands while calling the visit a “setback” for the “Chinese puppet government” of the Maldives.

The next day, Zahid Rameez, a member of the Maldives’ Progressive Party and the atoll nation’s senate, quoted the tweet and used remarks, which many Indians took as racist. Rameez then quoted another post on X by a media house on Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep and said the Union territory of India can be a counter to the Maldives – a popular beach destination among Indians. Posting in Maldivian, Rameez said: “It is very sad that a big country like India is trying to make money by copying a small economy like Sri Lanka. And this shows that they will never wish the Dhanvantaris well.”

Then, other Maldivian politicians – Mariyam Shiuna, Abdulla Mahzoom Majid, and Malsha Shareef, deputy ministers from the country’s youth ministry, joined Rameez and other Maldivians in bad-mouthing India and Modi’s Lakshadweep visit on X.

Shuina has since deleted her tweet and Majid’s X account currently seems to be deactivated. Although India Sentinels is in possession of the screenshots of their posts, it is not publishing them or their content.

Following this, Indian X users, including Sachin Tendulkar, Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, and others urged Indians to visit Lakshadweep and other Indian beaches instead of travelling to the Maldives for their holidays.

Without naming the Maldives, Tendulkar posted a video and photo of Sindhudurg and wrote: “India is blessed with beautiful coastlines and pristine islands. With our “Atithi Devo Bhava” philosophy, we have so much to explore, so many memories waiting to be created,” using “#ExploreIndianIslands” as the post’s hashtag.

Akshay Kumar was more direct in his post. He wrote: “Came across comments from prominent public figures from Maldives passing hateful and racist comments on Indians. Surprised that they are doing this to a country that sends them the maximum number of tourists.”

In his X post, Salman Khan also didn’t name the Maldives. He wrote: “It is so cool to see our Hon PM Narendrabhai Modi at the beautiful clean n stunning beaches of Lakshadweep, and the best part is that yeh hamare India mein hain.”

Prominent Maldivians criticize anti-India posts

Following the backlash from Indians, prominent Maldivians came out and criticized their own countrymen and countrywomen for their disparaging remarks on India and Modi’s Lakshadweep visit.

Mohamed Nasheed, former president of the Maldives, termed as “appalling” the Maldivian politicians’ language against a “key ally” and “instrumental for the Maldives’ security and prosperity”. He also urged the Maldivian government to distance itself from their remarks.

Faris Maumoon, president of the Maldives Reform Movement, urged his country’s government to “reprimand” the public officials who made disrespectful comments against “heads of state and high officials of friendly countries”.

India raises concerns, Maldives reacts

The Indian high commissioner to the Maldives, Munu Mahawar, raised the issue with the Maldivian government and expressed concerns that public officials using such language against India and its leader might impact ties between the two neighbouring countries. Reacting to this, the Maldivian government distanced himself from the remarks its ministers made.

In a statement, the Maldivian government said: “These opinions are personal and do not represent the views of the government of Maldives. The government believes that the freedom of expression should be exercised in a democratic and responsible manner, and in ways that do not spread hatred, negativity, and hinder close relationships between the Maldives and its international partners.”

It may be noted that following the swearing in of the new Maldivian government led by its president, Mohamed Muizzu, who is perceived to be pro-China, ties between New Delhi and Male have taken a hit.

As India Sentinels had reported in November, the Muizzu government ordered Indian troops out of the atoll nation in India’s maritime backyard. Then in the following month, the Muizzu government cancelled a pact between the Indian Navy and the Maldives National Defence Force allowing India to carry out hydrographic surveys in the country.

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