Saturday
20th Apr 2024
Dhivehi Edition
President Yameen taking part in an India Out rally
Opposition leader President Abdullah Yameen has stated that the ouster of Indian military personnel in the country was more important than the 2023 Presidential elections.
Speaking to “Adhadhu” President Yameen was questioned on the possibility of him contesting in the upcoming elections.
In response, President Yameen said that PPM had not yet decided on who will be contesting in the elections. He also raised questions on why the 2023 elections were important for the public.
President Yameen cited that there was no point in contesting or having an election when there was undeniable and continued proof of Indian government and military influence in the government. The need to defend the nation, he said, was more vital than an election.
If an election was to be held with the current Indian interference in place, then citizens would not benefit from it, he noted. President Yameen also said that a brighter future for Maldivians cannot be achieved without independence and sovereignty.
President Yameen championed the Indian Out movement once he was released from jail in 2021, by the Supreme Court. The movement calls for the removal of Indian military personnel stationed in the country.
In April, incumbent President Ibrahim Solih criminalized the movement by way of a Presidential decree. The decree cited that the movement was a threat to national security.