The incident involving the suspended Maldivian Minister Mariyam Shiuna's social media post, which depicted an image allegedly disrespecting the Indian national flag, has sparked significant outrage and repercussions.
In her now-deleted post, Shiuna shared an opposition party's campaign poster with the Tricolour's Ashok Chakra replacing the party's logo, urging support for her ruling party ahead of parliamentary elections in the Maldives.
The post drew swift condemnation from Indian social media users, prompting calls for President Mohamed Muizzu to take decisive action against Shiuna. Following the backlash, Shiuna removed the post and issued a public apology, expressing regret over any offense or misunderstanding caused by the content of her post.
Emphasizing the unintentional nature of the resemblance to the Indian flag in the image, Shiuna reaffirmed the Maldives' deep respect for its relationship with India.
This incident occurs amidst strained diplomatic relations between India and the Maldives, exacerbated by recent disparaging remarks towards India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Maldivian officials, including Shiuna, following PM Modi's visit to Lakshadweep.
Despite tensions, India remains a vital economic partner for the Maldives, supplying essential commodities and maintaining significant economic ties. However, anti-India sentiment appears to be growing in the Maldives, with concerns raised about India's military presence and China's increasing influence in the region.
The Maldives' recent request for the withdrawal of Indian military personnel stationed there has sparked discussions between the two nations, with the first batch of Indian personnel already leaving and the complete withdrawal scheduled for May, indicating a complex diplomatic landscape between India and the Maldives.
