The Maldives government took action on Sunday by suspending three of its ministers for making derogatory comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Lakshadweep on social media, as reported by a spokesperson from the Maldives.
The choice to remove ministers Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna, and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid from their positions follows India's raising of the issue with the island nation today.
Shiuna made derogatory remarks about PM Modi, calling him a "clown" and "puppet" in posts on X, which were later deleted. This happened after the Prime Minister shared photos of his visit to Lakshadweep and promoted the island as a tourist spot for Indians. The tweets were removed following criticism on the social media platform.
In a now-deleted post, Abdulla Mahzoom Majid had commented on PM Modi's Lakshadweep visit, saying, "While I wish success for India's tourism, targeting the Maldives so explicitly isn't diplomatic. India faces significant challenges competing in beach tourism, considering our resort infrastructure exceeds their total islands.
Maldives officials, such as MP Zahid Rameez, joined in ridiculing Prime Minister Modi's trip to Lakshadweep after photos went viral on social media. Many drew comparisons to the Maldives.
The Maldivian government has dismissed the disrespectful comments about Modi, asserting that they do not reflect the opinions of the Maldivian government.
Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed and former Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid also criticized Mariyam Shiuna's disrespectful comments about PM Modi, describing them as "appalling language".
These remarks invited sharp criticism against the Maldivian officials, with several people calling to "boycott the Maldives".
Amid the controversy surrounding comments made by Maldives ministers, several well-known figures including Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, John Abraham, Shraddha Kapoor, and Kangana Ranaut engaged in the conversation regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to Lakshadweep. Some individuals even specifically referenced PM Modi's visit and the reaction from Maldives.
