New Delhi: In the midst of the escalating diplomatic tensions between Bharat and the Maldives, Fayyaz Ismail, the opposition leader and Chairperson of the Maldivian Democratic Party, has called on the government to take a firmer stance. Ismail emphasized that recent racist comments against Bharat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were isolated opinions from individuals holding government positions, and he urged the government to address the issue.
Expressing concern over the widespread impact of the matter on both Indian and Maldivian citizens through social media, Ismail stressed the need for a stronger government response. He stated, “I personally believe the government should take a tougher stand on that because this goes beyond government to government. Now, because of the easy accessibility of social media, this has reached to a lot of Indians and to a lot of Maldivians. And as arguments take over from both sides, there has been a lot of insults coming back and forth.”
When asked about the potential impact of the ongoing dispute on the Bharat-Maldives relationship and the revenue generated by Indian tourists for the island nation, Ismail, the former Minister of Economic Development of Maldives, asserted that the issue goes beyond economics. He expressed greater concern about repairing the strained relations, emphasizing that the ongoing spat has now reached the people.
Meanwhile, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, currently on a five-day state visit to China, has urged China to “intensify” efforts to boost tourism to the Maldives. This plea follows the cancellation of reservations by Indian tourists due to derogatory remarks made by Maldivian ministers against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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