Opposition Parliamentarians Oppose Passing Of 241 Committee Report On Indian Agreements

The parliamentarians of the opposition Progressive Congress have rejected the passing of report released by the Parliament Committee on National Security Services (also known as the 241 Committee) regarding the military agreements signed between the Maldives and India.

The report of the 241 Committee’s inquiry into the Indian military agreements was submitted to the Majlis.

Copies of the agreements had not been handed to the members of the 241 Committee during the sessions held to inquire into the agreements. Members of the Committee, who do not belong to the ruling MDP, have also complained that even though some screenshots and excerpts of the agreements had been shown during the Defence Ministry’s PowerPoint presentation, the Committee had not been given sufficient time to properly peruse and analyse the agreements. Among the MPs who had raised these issues were MP Ahmed Usham (MNP-Vilimalé), and MP Ali Hussain (JP-Kendhoo).

During today’s Majlis session, opposition parliamentarians had refused to accept the report’s claim that the Indian agreements had been shared with the members of the Committee.

MP Ahmed Shiyam (PPM-Naifaru) had remarked that what had been handed over to the 241 Committee were not [copies] of Indian military agreements, but PowerPoint presentations. MP Shiyam asked if the Chair of the Committee had been requested to procure copies of the agreements for the perusal of the committee-members.

MP Adam Shareef Umar (PPM-Maduvvaree) who had requested the Majlis to inquire into the agreement had also stated that all that had been disclosed of the agreements to the Committee were “slides”. He reiterated that they had not been given a sufficient opportunity to properly analyse the agreements. He stated that the work of the 241 Committee had “failed”.

MP Mohamed Saeed (PNC-Maavah) had stated that the signing of the Uthuru Thila Falhu agreement was “unconstitutional”, and had said that the 241 Committee had submitted a “false report” to the Majlis. He also stated that today was a day on which the Citizen’s Majlis “mocked” the citizens.