‘Appalling language’, says former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed condemns ‘derogatory remarks’ by Mariyam Shiuna

Former Maldives President Nasheed condemns derogatory remarks by Maldives Minister Mariyam Shiuna and urges government to distance itself and assure India it doesn't reflect policy.

Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed condemned the derogatory remarks made by the Maldives Minister and urged President Mohamed Muizzu to distance the government from the comments.

He said that India is "instrumental" in Maldives' security and prosperity and asked Mr. Muizzu to give assurance to New Delhi that the comments don't reflect government policy.

"What appalling language by Maldives Government official @shiuna_m towards the leader of a key ally, that is instrumental for Maldives' security and prosperity. @MMuizzu gov must distance itself from these comments and give clear assurance to India they do not reflect gov policy," Mr. Nasheed posted on X.

This comes after Maldives Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment Mariyam Shiuna made derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media platform X.

The post by Ms. Shiuna — which has now been deleted — featured the pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his recent visit to Lakshadweep.

Mr, Modi visited the Union Territory of Lakshadweep on January 2 and shared several pictures, including an 'exhilarating experience' after he tried his hand at snorkelling.In a series of posts on X, Mr. Modi shared pictures of the white beaches and the pristine blue skies and the ocean, and tagged them with a message that read, "For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list."

"Recently, I had the opportunity to be among the people of Lakshadweep. I am still in awe of the stunning beauty of its islands and the incredible warmth of its people. I had the opportunity to interact with people in Agatti, Bangaram and Kavaratti. I thank the people of the islands for their hospitality. Here are some glimpses, including aerial glimpses from Lakshadweep...During my stay, I also tried snorkelling — what an exhilarating experience it was! For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list," PM Modi posted on X.