NEW DELHI: Addressing the recent diplomatic row that soured India-Maldives ties, President Mohamed Muizzu appeared to regret the past disparaging remarks made by a now-sacked minister regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, “Nobody should say such things.”
This comment marks Muizzu’s first public reaction to the controversial statements that contributed to a cooling of ties between the two neighbours. “Nobody should say such things. I took action against it,” Maldivian news portal adhadhu.com quoted him as saying about the now-removed minister who made disparaging remarks against PM Modi on social media.
Muizzu, who is in the US to attend the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, made the remarks on Thursday while responding to a question at Princeton University’s “Dean’s Leadership Series”. Muizzu has denied having an “India Out” agenda, asserting that the island nation had a “serious problem” with the presence of foreign military on its soil.
“We have never been against any one country at any point. It’s not India Out. Maldives faced a serious problem with foreign military presence on this soil,” Maldivian news portal adhadhu.com quoted him as saying. “The people of Maldives do not want a single foreign soldier in the country,” Muizzu said.
The ties between India and the Maldives came under severe strain since November last year when Muizzu, known for his pro-China leanings, took charge as Maldivian president. Muizzu had asked India to withdraw nearly 90 Indian military personnel operating three aviation platforms gifted by the country. India withdrew its military personnel by May 10 and replaced them with civilian personnel to operate a Dornier aircraft and two helicopters.
Earlier this year, deputy ministers in Maldives’ youth ministry were suspended for derogatory social media posts against Prime Minister Modi following a backlash, with New Delhi strongly raising the matter with Male. The 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. Prime Minister Modi was in Lakshadweep on January 2 and 3 to inaugurate several projects.
