New Delhi [India]: Maldivian Member of Parliament, Meekail Ahmed Naseem, has requested the Maldivian Parliamentarian speaker Mohamed Aslam to summon the Foreign Minister and has also demanded the ‘immediate termination’ of the deputy ministers who made derogatory comments against Indians and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Meekail, who is an opposition MP from the South Galolhu constituency in Male, said that the request was made on Monday, and while the official date for the parliament to reconvene is February, he is still trying to hold the special session during the recess.
“I requested the speaker summon the foreign minister to the parliament for questioning regarding the derogatory remarks by some of the government’s senior officials the day before yesterday. And while the parliament is still in recess, we are trying to hold a special session within the recess for the summons,” the Maldivian MP said.
Acknowledging that the current Maldivian government “hasn’t done enough” in their response to the row, Meekail went on to say that Muizzu’s government should terminate the deputy ministers.
“I think what the government has done is not sufficient. The gravity of the situation requires that the government issues a formal apology, as well as immediately terminate the deputy ministers in question,” Meekail said.
He further underlined that the current government needs to weigh what it requires more. It’s the relationship with India or the ministers in question.
“I think suspension is not the right way to go about it. And I think we have had a very strong and valuable relationship with India. And I think the ruling party needs to weigh what the Maldives requires more with. What the Maldives values more. Whether it values its relationship with India or it is holding the relationship and the loyalty the said deputy ministers have, with the ruling party as more important”, he added.
On President Muizzu’s China visit and on defying his predecessor’s old tradition of visiting India as their first foreign destination, the Maldivian MP expressed his disappointment with the current government’s foreign policy adding that it is ‘concerning’ to see ‘lack of transparency’ while dealing with China.
“I am sad to see that Maldives has steered away from its age-old foreign policy which would always put India first and it was a very balanced foreign policy approach. Where I think we understood the realities of our geography as well as our mutual strategic interests. So, it is very disappointing that the government has taken this approach”, said Meekail.
“I am concerned that there is the lack of transparency in disclosing the agreements and keeping us privy, parliament privy to such agreements,” he added.
Lauding the Indian assistance to the Maldives, Meekail hailed New Delhi’s strong support and underlined how the latter has always stood by the island nation in testing times.
“India has always been our strongest ally in our time of need, and India has always given us a helping hand. Be it the 1988 coup, or the Covid vaccines, which were provided to us and we were the first I think country to have received such assistance from India”, said the Maldivian MP.
He further went on to say that whatever is happening now isn’t’ shocking’ as this is the result of years of systematic “anti-India rhetoric” speared by the Muizzu government.
“India has always been with us. And I think that what’s happening is sad and appalling; I don’t find it shocking. I find this is the culmination of years and years of systematic anti-India rhetoric that has been spearheaded by the current ruling party. And I think it is very sad that they are finding it hard to differentiate between working as opposition activists and now managing their roles as ministers of government,” he added.
A massive row was triggered between India and Maldives after the Maldives deputy minister, along with other cabinet members and government officials, made disparaging references to PM Modi’s Lakshadweep visit.
Indians, including cricketers and film celebrities, have since come out in open support in promoting local beach destinations and other tourist spots.
The Maldives government has, however, distanced itself from the remarks made by its ministers.
Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Moosa Zameer said that these remarks against foreign leaders are “unacceptable” and do not reflect the official position of the Maldives government.
