A racist remark by Maldivian politician Zahid Rameez, a council
member of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), targeting Indians after
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lakshadweep visit, has triggered widespread
outrage and a surge in cancellations by prospective tourists to the island
nation. Rameez was reacting to statements made by some users on X after PM Modi
shared picturesque images from his recent visit to Lakshadweep. When some users
suggested that PM Modi's visit will be a big boost for tourism in Lakshadweep
and help wean tourists away from Maldives, Rameez said that "the idea of
competing with us is delusional." "How can they provide the service
we offer? How can they be so clean? The permanent smell in the rooms will be
the biggest downfall," Rameez said on X, inciting a significant backlash
on social media with calls for a boycott of the Maldives as a tourist
destination.
Maldives politician's racist remarks and mockery of PM Modi's
Lakshadweep visit ignite calls for tourism boycott A considerable number of Indian tourists said
they have canceled their Maldives vacation plans in response to derogatory
comments made by ministers within the Maldivian government. Below are excerpts
from various posts on X expressing the discontent:
Despite facing widespread criticism on social media platforms,
Rameez, a PPM member, chose not to issue an apology or retract his statement.
Instead, he defiantly portrayed himself as a victim, emphasizing his identity
as a Muslim, saying, "I was born in India, and FYI, I’m not a lawmaker.
The already strained diplomatic relations between India and the
Maldives have been further exacerbated by the political shift in the country.
The newly elected president, Mohamed Muizzu of the PPM, is perceived as leaning
more towards China than his predecessor. Muizzu has already requested India to
withdraw its military forces from the
Maldives, a move conveyed to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju during his visit for
the president's inauguration
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