Amid an intense diplomatic row between India and Maldives, former President of the island nation Mohamed Nasheed slammed the action of Mohamed Muizzu’s government and said people of Maldives want Indian people to come there on holidays. While speaking on the impact of India’s boycott, Mohamed Nasheed said that the people of the country are sorry that this happened and that there will be no change in their hospitality.
“It has impacted the Maldives a lot, and I am actually here in India. I’m very worried about this. I want to say the people of the Maldives are sorry, we are sorry that this has happened. We want Indian people to come on their holidays to the Maldives, and there will not be any change in our hospitality,” former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed said.
The remarks came days after Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar gave a strong response to Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu’s bullying remark. Mohamed Nasheed emphasized the crucial role India played during difficult phases for the Maldives. While stressing that India acts as a responsible superpower, Mohamed Nasheed said that India has been always there for the first call of assistance.
“…When the President of the Maldives wanted the Indian military personnel to leave you what did India do? They did not twist their arms and muscles but told the Maldivan government to discuss that and that is the action of a responsible superpower. It is not ‘bully.’ In 1988, when there was a coup attempt in the Maldives, India came and flushed the coup and brought back our government…The COVID-19 came, we got the vaccine through India. India has been there for the first call of assistance,” former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed said.
“Hence I would not think that any Maldivian would misunderstand these things. I would call him please stop these discussions on the Dornier flight and the helicopters as they were brought to Maldives for medical evacuation…,” he added.
S Jaishankar’s strong response to Mohamed Muizzu
On Monday, S Jaishankar spoke on the India-Maldives row during a book launch program and responded to a question about Mohamed Muizzu’s ‘bully’ remark.
“Big bullies don’t supply vaccines to other countries when COVID is on or make exceptions to their own rules to respond to food demands or fuel demands or fertilizer demands because some war in some other part of the world has complicated their lives,” S Jaishankar said in a pointed response to a question regarding India’s role in the sub-continent.
Source:livemint.com
