Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on Saturday issued a strong statement amid a diplomatic row with India. Mohamed Muizzu said that It is a small country, but that is not a “license” for anybody to “bully” us.
The remarks from the Maldivian President came at the Velana International Airport (VIA) after the conclusion of his 5-day visit to China. India and Maldives recently engaged in a fresh row over derogatory remarks made by three Maldivian ministers against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
What Maldives’ President Says?
In his address, the Maldivian President asserted that the ocean does not belong to any specific country and Maldives has one of the biggest shares of the ocean.
“Though we have small islands in this ocean, we have a vast exclusive economic zone of 9,00,000 square kilometers. It is one of the countries with the biggest share of this ocean. This ocean does not belong to a specific country. This ocean also belongs to all countries situated in it,”
Boycott Maldives Trended In India
Indians expressed dissatisfaction with the remarks made about PM Modi, and the trend to boycott the Maldives remained a hot topic on social media. The country took action against the three ministers and removed them from their positions. However, many Indians canceled plans to visit there, and prominent celebrities urged Indians to visit Lakshadweep and other islands instead.
‘Not Situated In Anyone’s Backyard’
Mohamed Muizzu gave a strong response when asked about the comments like the country is situated in India’s backyard. The President said that we don’t belong to anyone’s backyard and the country is an independent, sovereign state.
Mohamed Muizzu came to power in the Maldives on the plank of the “India-out” campaign and has made several moves to signal that they are going to align with China .