Saturday
20th Apr 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid and Indian PM Narendra Modi
Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid is still silent over the defamatory comments by India’s ruling party Baharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma against the Prophet Mohammed.
Many Arab and Islamic nations have condemned India and BJP for the statements, with nations like Qatar and Kuwait serving official notices of protest to the Indian Ambassadors in their countries. The official notices said that the issue was deplorable and unacceptable. They had demanded official apologies from the Indian government, as well.
In addition, the nations have begun to boycott Indian products and begun to layoff Indians supportive of Hindutva ideology from the jobs. Social media storm on the issue had soured towards India, as well.
While Shahid is silent on the matter, the government of Maldives had issued a tepid response. The Government’s response came on Monday evening. The statement condemned any and all defamatory language on the Prophet. It makes no mention of Sharma.
‘In this regard the Government of Maldives is deeply concerned by the derogatory remarks made by some officials of BJP, India, insulting the holy Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and the religion of Islam,’ the statement said.
The three-sentence statement concluded by welcoming the denouncement by the Government of India of the derogatory remarks by the concerned officials and the action taken by BJP against those officials.
Earlier on Monday, the Parliament had kicked out an emergency motion submitted on the issue. Forty-three MPs took part in the vote, with 33 MPs voting to kick out the motion. All but one MP was from ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
Out of the 87 MPs, 65 are from ruling MDP. They have constantly and consistently kicked out similar motions submitted by the opposition and have refused to address Islamophobia in India. BJP leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin, the highest honor of the Maldives awarded to foreign dignitaries, by incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.