(Image source from: Twitter.com/narendramodi)

Following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lakshadweep, three ministers in the Maldives government, namely Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha, and Hassan Zihan, have been suspended for making derogatory remarks about him. The government spokesperson, Ibrahim Khaleel, stated that all officials responsible for these comments have been immediately suspended from their positions. One of the suspended deputy ministers, Hassan Zihan, had referred to a tweet on the microblogging platform X and dismissed it as "Fake" news.

In response to Minister Mariyam Shiuna's remarks about PM Narendra Modi's visit, the Maldives government issued a statement clarifying their stance. They emphasized that they would not tolerate derogatory remarks and would take action against those who make them. This statement was made as the government noticed a significant increase in cancellations of tourist bookings from India. Furthermore, the Maldivian Foreign Ministry released a statement on Sunday addressing the issue of derogatory remarks made on social media platforms against foreign leaders and high-ranking individuals.

Last week, a controversy erupted on social media when a minister and several other leaders in the Maldives used derogatory language against PM Modi after he shared a video of himself on a beach in Lakshadweep. The statement expressed the opinions of the Maldives government. Mariyam Shiuna's now-deleted post included images of PM Modi during his recent visit to Lakshadweep. The Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts referred to the Indian prime minister as a "clown" and a "puppet of Israel."

In response, several social media posts claim that over 8,000 hotel bookings and 2,500 flight tickets have been cancelled as a form of retaliation against a Maldivian minister who insulted Indian PM Narendra Modi. Former president Mohamed Nasheed criticized the remarks made by the Maldivian ministers, describing them as "appalling." He called on President Mohamed Muizzu's government to distance itself from these comments. Former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb strongly denounced the derogatory and racist comments made by a group of Maldivian politicians towards Prime Minister Modi.