After BJP MP Subramanian Swamy said the Maldives should be invaded if the upcoming presidential election was rigged, the country’s foreign ministry reportedly summoned India’s Ambassador to the Maldives Akhilesh Mishra.

“India should invade Maldives if rigging of election takes place,” Subramanian Swamy tweeted days after meeting former president Mohamed Nasheed to discuss the opposition’s concerns over electoral fraud.

https://t.co/nazyiRCOKs: India should invade Maldives if rigging of election takes place

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— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) August 24, 2018

His tweet provoked outrage in the Maldives political circle as Swamy invited criticism from ministers, lawmakers, opposition figures and former senior diplomats.

According to reports, Akhilesh Mishra was questioned by Foreign Secretary Ahmed Sareer.

Quoting Foreign Ministry’s political director Heena Waleed, a report in the Maldives Independent however said she “has not received any information that the ambassador was summoned”.

READ | Govt dissociates itself from Subramanian Swamy’s remarks on Maldives

Mishra visited the ministry on Sunday for a briefing arranged by Foreign Minister Dr Mohamed Asim for seven diplomatic missions in the Maldives, she said.

Meanwhile, referring to the meeting between Swamy and Nasheed, Islamist group Jamiyyathul Salaf condemned the “indirect and direct calls by some politicians to invade the Maldives”.

“We want to declare that committing an act that endangers the independence and sovereignty of an Islamic country or calling for such an act, and helping enemies of the country and religion to carry out such an act, is a big sin under Islamic sharia,” read a statement.

In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs has distanced itself from Swamy’s remarks saying his opinion “does not reflect the views of the Government of India”.

https://t.co/ItNCmngisJ pic.twitter.com/6pd2uUVaN6

— Akhilesh Mishra, IFS (Personal Account) (@AkhileshIFS) August 26, 2018

Swamy has on the other hand defended his statement saying it was his “personal opinion”. He stood by his statement and said, “We have to protect our citizens.”

Why is the present Govt of Maldives upset by my “If then” statement that if Maldive’s Sept 24th general election is rigged then India should invade that nation? Already Indians in that nation are fearing reprisals. We have to protect our citizens.

— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) August 26, 2018