Friday
22nd Nov 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Indian High commissioner
Indian High Commissioner Sudhir Dismisses Criticism of Indian Foreign Policy as a Fringe Movement
President Nasheed meeting with the Indian High Commissioner in the Maldives. Photo: Majilis
Sanjay Sudhir, the India High Commissioner to the Maldives has stated that some Maldivian media outlets have “made it their profession” to criticize India.
Speaking with Raajje.mv, an MDP-funded news outlet with a demonstrable pro-Indian bias, Sudhir said that the average Maldivian had a positive view of India and had love in their hearts for Indian culture and customs.
Sudhir said that only two or three media outlets were actually critical of India, and those outlets had “made it their profession” to do so. He said that he believed that no “responsible newspaper” would act that way.
Sudhir said that he failed to identify any anti-Indian sentiment in the Maldives.
He characterized the media as critical of India as an isolated group driven by money.
Despite Sudhir’s comments on RaajjeMv, the Indian High Commission had requested
the government to take measures against Dhiyares, the sister-newspaper of The Maldives Journal. After the government failed to do so, the Indian High Commission influenced the Majlis in vain to submit a case against Dhiyares to the Media Council.
In addition, Sanjay Sudhir’s comments completely ignore the long established vocal anti-Indian movements on Maldivian social media and the fact that the Defend Maldives petition, aimed at the removal of Indian military personnel from the country, has gained thousands of signatures.