Amid the diplomatic row with Maldives, NCP chief and INDIA alliance leader Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi won’t be accepted.
“He is the prime minister of our country and if anyone from any other country holding any position makes such comments on our PM, we won’t accept it. We must respect the post…” he told reporters.
The NCP chief’s rare show of support to Modi came during a press briefing on INDIA alliance partners’ meeting to decide a seat sharing arrangement for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Three Maldivian ministers made disparaging and unsavoury remarks against Modi over his recent visit to Lakshadweep. Following their unprovoked hateful remarks, a massive diplomatic row erupted with New Delhi summoning Maldivian envoy to lodge strong protest on Monday.
Though there was no official word on the Maldivian envoy’s meeting with Indian officials, it is understood that he was firmly told that New Delhi was not satisfied with mere suspension of the three ministers and that the onus of repairing bilateral ties rested solely with Male.
Hours later, Indian High Commissioner to Maldives Munu Mahawar met with Ali Naseer Mohamed, Ambassador at Large, at the Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Male.
Modi had visited the Union Territory of Lakshadweep on January 2 for the inauguration and foundation laying ceremony of several development projects. Subsequently, he had shared some pictures of his visit, including an “exhilarating experience” of him trying his hand at snorkeling and sitting on a chair near a beach under pristine blue skies and ocean.
“For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list,” he wrote along with pictures in a message to promote local tourism.
Reacting to the images, Mariyam Shiuna had made disparaging remarks in a social media post which she deleted later. Other Maldivian lawmakers – Malsha Shareef and Mahzoom Majid – also made similar remarks against PM Modi, with one of them accusing India of targeting Maldives’ tourism.
Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer said these remarks against foreign leaders were “unacceptable” and do not reflect the official position of the Maldives government.