Another former Maldives minister has come out in support of Narendra Modi amid disrespectful remarks against the Indian prime minister by a few members of the government of President Mohamed Muizzu. Ex-defence minister of the archipelago, Mariya Ahmed Didi, said that the derogatory comments against PM Modi demonstrate the “short-sightedness” of the Maldives government.
She added that India has been a reliable ally, providing assistance in various sectors, including defense, and criticized any attempt to undermine the longstanding relationship.
Didi further expressed disappointment over disparaging remarks, highlighting India as the “911 call” for the Maldives, always coming to their rescue in times of need.
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“It is the short-sightedness on the part of the present administration… We are a small country who are friends with all, but we cannot deny that we share borders with India. We share similar security concerns. India has always helped us. They have been helping us even in the defence sector with capacity building, providing us with equipment, and trying to make us more self-sufficient,”Mariya Ahmed Didi said.
She said that Maldives and India are like-minded in their quest for democracy and respect for human rights. “It’s a very short-sightedness on the part of the present government to really think that we can really try to not keep the age-old relationship that we have always had with India…” she said.
A day ago, Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer had said that these remarks against foreign leaders are “unacceptable” and do not reflect the official position of the Maldives government.
He stated that the Maldives remains committed to fostering a “positive and constructive dialogue” with all its partners, particularly its neighbours.
A massive uproar erupted after a Maldivian deputy minister, along with other cabinet members and government officials, made disparaging and unsavoury references to PM Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep.
On January 2, PM Modi visited the Union Territory of Lakshadweep and shared several pictures, including an ‘exhilarating experience’ of him trying his hand at snorkelling.
In a post that has now been deleted, the Maldivian Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Shiuna, made a mocking and disrespectful reference to PM Modi over his visit to the Indian island cluster. Her post even featured images of PM Modi from his visit to Lakshadweep.
(With inputs from ANI)
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