Maldives leader calls for President Muizzu's removal amid India row
Maldivian Parliamentary Minority leader Ali Azim has demanded the removal of President Mohamed Muizzu and called for a vote of no confidence against him. This came amid a diplomatic row with India over derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by several Maldivian politicians, including three now-suspended ministers. In a post on X, Azim also stressed upholding the stability of the Maldives's foreign policy and preventing the isolation of any neighboring country, referring to India.
Why does this story matter?
A major diplomatic row erupted over the weekend after several leaders of the Maldives passed controversial remarks mocking PM Modi and his recent Lakshadweep visit. The controversy started with now-suspended Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information, and Arts Mariyam Shiuna calling him a "clown" and a "puppet of Israel" in a series of now-deleted X posts. Separately, Muizzu earlier asked India to withdraw its military from the island nation to protect the Maldivian democracy.
Azim pushes for Muizzu's removal
Azim took to the microblogging site X on Monday and called for steps to remove President Muizzu. He also suggested a vote of no confidence against him in the aftermath of the diplomatic row with India. Azim suggested that as Democrats, they are dedicated to upholding the stability of the Maldives by preventing any neighboring country's isolation. "[Are you] willing to take all necessary steps to remove [President Muizzu] from power?" he wrote.
What the Maldivian minority leader posted on X
Derogatory remarks on Modi led to suspension of ministers
The uproar began when several Maldivian ministers shared offensive remarks about PM Modi on social media following his visit to Lakshadweep. Subsequently, the Maldivian government suspended three deputy ministers—Malsha Shareef, Shiuna, and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid—for their comments. The Maldivian Foreign Ministry also acknowledged their derogatory remarks on social media but clarified that their personal opinions do not represent the government's stance.
India expresses concern; social media users promote domestic tourism
On Monday, Maldives High Commission Ibrahim Shaheeb was summoned by India's Ministry of External Affairs and was informed of New Delhi's strong concern over the offensive remarks. Separately, the incident has sparked criticism in India, with numerous celebrities and netizens encouraging people on social media to visit domestic tourist destinations instead of the Maldives. Online posts also claimed that some Indians were canceling their planned trips to the Maldives due to the controversy.
Muizzu asked India to withdraw military from Maldives
Earlier this month, Muizzu urged the Indian government to withdraw the military from the island nation to protect its democracy. He said if India did not withdraw its forces, it would amount to disregarding the "democratic will" of Maldivian people. "Maldivian people have a very no (sic) to the idea of foreign military personnel being stationed in the Maldives," he added. Notably, India-Maldives relations were strained after Muizzu, a pro-China politician, took office last year.
India 'our 911 call': Maldives former defense minister
Meanwhile, former defense minister of the Maldives, Mariya Ahmed Didi, said on Monday that India has been their reliable ally, assisting in various sectors, including defense. She criticized the alleged ongoing attempts to undermine the longstanding India-Maldives relationship and expressed disappointment over the Maldivian ministers' remarks. "India has been our 911 call, whenever we need it, we give a call and you all come to our rescue. That kind of a friend," she said.
