According to several media reports, ministers Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef, and Mahzoom Majid have been suspended for triggering a massive row which has resulted in ‘Boycott Maldives’ trending on social media platforms.
“The foreign ministry has issued a statement on social media posts that are insulting to neighbouring India … Those who made such posts on social media while in government positions have now been suspended from their jobs,” the Maldives government said in a statement, without revealing the names of those who have been suspended.
Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed had condemned the local leaders for their derogatory remarks and said such language was “appalling”, adding that India is a “key ally” for the security and prosperity of the archipelago nation.
Former foreign minister of Maldives Abdulla Shahid called the remarks made by Maldivian leaders as “reprehensible and odious”.
Boycott Maldives
The anti-India comments prompted several Indian celebrities and social media influencers to call for a boycott of the Maldives and its tourist spots.
Amid Maldives row, Salman Khan, Shraddha Kapoor, Akshay Kumar and other celebs ask Indians to plan Lakshadweep trip: ‘Why should we tolerate such unprovoked hate?’
Many social media users posted pictures of their cancelled hotel stays or air tickets to Maldives.
Actor Akshay Kumar, Sachin Tendulkar, cricketer Aakash Chopra and others appealed to Indians to cancel trips to Maldives and instead opt for domestic destinations.
Meanwhile actors Salman Khan, John Abraham, Shraddha Kapoor, and others praised Lakshadweep’s beauty.
Indian tourists made up a large chunk of visitors to the Maldives till December 2023.
According to the Maldives tourism ministry, a total of 1,757,939 tourists arrived in the island nation till December 13, an increase of 12.6% compared to the 1.5 million arrivals recorded in 2022.
The largest number of tourists who visited the Maldives were from India (2,09,198), followed by Russia (2,09,146) and China (1,87,118).
In the October-December quarter of 2021, 1.15 lakh passengers travelled between India and Maldives on direct flights — this translates to nearly 1,250 passengers a day each way between India and Maldives.
This is a developing story