Govt To Give Land To Tata Group Because Of Extreme Indian Influence: Mayor Dr Muizzu

Dr Mohamed Muizzu, the Mayor of the Male City Council, has stated that the former plots of land that had belonged to the Odeon Cinema and the Government Employee's Club were granted by the government to the Tata Group for the development of luxury condominiums because of the extreme undue influence that India has over the Maldivian government.

Mayor Muizzu said this in an interview with Jazeera newspaper. He had said that the plots of land must not have been given to the Tata Group, and he also claimed that the granting was illegal.

He said that no plots of Male's land could be given out without first seeking out the opinion of the citizens of Male. Since an elected Council exists as part of the implementation of the Decentralization Act, he said that the government should seek the people's opinion by consulting with the Council.

He had also said that the government had made this decision as the Council had submitted the Land Use Plan that it had prepared in consultation with the people of Male. He said that granting out the land of Male to the Tata Group was tantamount to "blocking the hopes and dreams" of the residents of Male.

He accused the government's decision to give out land to an Indian company as having come about because of the extreme undue influence that India had over the Maldivian government.

Mayor Dr Muizzu said that the Decentralization Act clearly stated that if a government agency, or a public corporation, or any state entity wished to do anything with any region that lay within the authority of the Male City Council, those entities would need to consult with the Council beforehand.