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Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu says his predecessor operated on orders of ’a foreign ambassador’
- Maldivian President Muizzu criticized the previous MDP government for failing to protect Maldives' independence, accused predecessor of operating on foreign orders
Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, who has often spoken explicable in reducing ties with India, has asserted that his predecessor operated on orders from "a foreign ambassador". Notably, Muizzu's predecessor and former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih shared an amicable relationship with New Delhi.
President Muizzu said when the main opposition MDP was in power from 2018-2023, it "failed to protect Maldives’ independence, leaving it in the hands of a foreign country".
The Maldivian President added that his predecessor, "operated on orders from a foreign ambassador, which resulted in extensive damage".
Last year, less than 24 hours after taking oath as the President, Muizzu formally requested India to withdraw 88 military personnel from his country by March 15, saying the Maldivian people have given him a "strong mandate" to make this request to New Delhi. The first batch has already left the archipelago nation.
Since then ties between India and Maldives remained strained.
However, last week, the Maldivian President requested New Delhi for debt relief measures. In an interview with local media 'Mihaaru', President Muizzu said that he hopes India will accommodate debt relief measures for the Maldives' in the repayment of the hefty loans taken from the country over consecutive governments. He stated that India will continue to remain Maldives' "closest ally," local media reported.
On being asked about his demand for the withdrawal of Indian troops from Maldives, Muizzu said that he aimed to encourage the country to become 'self-sufficient'.
Even if they are troops of some other country, we will deal with them in the same manner. I have said so very clearly. It is nothing personal but rather a matter of our national security", he said.
A row erupted between India and Maldives in January this year after three Maldivian deputy ministers made derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over his pictures from the visit to Lakshadweep.
The matter snowballed into a major diplomatic row, with New Delhi summoning the Maldivian envoy and registering a strong protest against the viral posts. The three deputy ministers were suspended and they remain under suspension with pay.
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Business NewsNewsWorldMaldives President Mohamed Muizzu says his predecessor operated on orders of ’a foreign ambassador’
First Published:30 Mar 2024, 07:40 AM IST
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