Calling India’s Modi ‘puppet of Israel’, ‘clown’, ‘terrorist’ gets Maldives officials suspended

Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid, who all worked for the country’s youth ministry, made the remarks about Modi on social media

It came as President Mohamed Muizzu, who won last year’s election with a pledge to end Maldives’ “India first” policy, prepared to visit China

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Narendra Modi. The Maldives has suspended three officials for making derogatory remarks about India’s prime minister. Photo: Getty Images/TNS

Published: 8:23am, 8 Jan 2024Updated: 8:36am, 8 Jan 2024

The Maldives government has suspended three deputy ministers for disparaging India’s prime minister amid a dip in ties with its powerful neighbour.

Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid all worked for the archipelago nation’s Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts and were disciplined for their comments on social media, a senior government official said on Sunday.

“The government of Maldives is aware of derogatory remarks on social media platforms against foreign leaders and high ranking individuals,” the government said in a statement. “These opinions are personal and do not represent the views of the government of Maldives.”

People walk on a beach in Hulhumale, Maldives, on December 26. The Indian Ocean nation’s 1,192 islands are dotted with luxury resorts. Photo: AFP

The three had variously labelled Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “clown”, “terrorist” and “puppet of Israel” on social media platform X, in response to a video of him visiting a group of Indian islands to promote local tourism.

Modi on January 4 posted on social media praising the “pristine beaches” of India’s Lakshadweep islands, which lie about 130km (80 miles) north of the Maldives at their closest point.

Some viewed his visit as trying to draw tourists away from the globally popular Maldives, whose 1,192 islands in the Indian Ocean are dotted with luxury resorts.

The Indian High Commission in the Maldives had “strongly raised and expressed concerns” over the comments, a source familiar with the matter said.