New Delhi: Indian government on Monday summoned the Maldivian envoy to India, to the external affairs ministry and conveyed strong concern over remarks posted on social media against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by a number of ministers of the Maldives, sources said.
The summoning comes on the heels of Maldivian Foreign Affairs Minister, Moosa Zameer, distancing the government from the remarks made by three of the ministers in social media.
"The recent remarks against foreign leaders and our close neighbours are unacceptable and do not reflect the official position of the Government of Maldives. We remain committed to fostering a positive and constructive dialogue with all our partners, especially our neighbours, based on mutual respect and understanding(sic)." A short statement by the minster in an X post read.
It is pertinent to note the Maldives government 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.
In New Delhi, official sources said the Indian high commission in Male strongly raised the matter with the Maldivian foreign ministry on Sunday.
The disparaging remarks by the ministers have drawn flak in India, with many celebrities urging people on X to explore domestic tourist destinations instead of going to the Maldives.
There were also posts on social media claiming that some Indians are cancelling their scheduled trip to the Maldives in view of the row.
The Maldivian foreign ministry said the government is aware of "derogatory remarks" on social media platforms against foreign leaders and that the personal views do not represent its position.
"The government of Maldives is aware of derogatory remarks on social media platforms against foreign leaders and high-ranking individuals. These opinions are personal and do not represent the views of the government of Maldives," the Maldivian foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday. (with Agency inputs)
