The battle for the better white sand beaches just got uglier. On Wednesday, the website of the juvenile court in Maldives was hacked, according to media reports. A visual grab of the website showed 'We are Bharatiya Hackers', suggesting that the hackers were Indians. “Consider this a warning,’’ the message read, followed by #ExploreIndianIslands#Lakshadweep.
This added to the virtual hostility between India and Maldives, marked by spats across social media platforms. While the online war rages—fuelled by celebrities coming out to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for Indian locations for tourism in the wake of derogatory remarks by three Maldivian ministers against the post —there is a frostiness in the diplomatic relationship. The three deputy ministers were suspended, in an attempt by the government to distance itself from the remarks; but the damage seems to have been done.
The tourism rivalry between the two countries has gone up a notch with President Mohamed Muizzu’s remarks in China. The trip to China, which happened on the heels of his first overseas visit to Turkey and the UAE, was much publicised and is being seen as a snub to India. This is not the first time that the relationship between India and the Maldives relationship became less than warm because of China.
But this time around Muizzu is trying to outdo former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, the original Beijing man. The 'India out' plank has been Yameen's pet project. The island nation has witnessed a period of change in domestic politics in the past few months. There is rivalry between Muizzu and his mentor, the main opposition party headed by former president Mohamed Nasheed— Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Yameen has formed a new political party. (He has been sentenced to jail and is in exile). And Muizzu, who realised that he could get a nomination for president, joined the People’s National Congress (PNC). He is now hoping to court China and hence his five-day visit to China is an attempt to prove his loyalty.
“We believe that through this visit, the two heads of state will provide strategic guidance for the bilateral relations to reach a new height," Wang Wenbin, Chinese foreign ministry’s spokesperson, has been quoted by media outlets as saying on January 5. This has been proven right, especially as Muizzu urged Chinese tourists to come to Maldives.
This has added to the tension between the two countries. Things have been on edge with India after President Muizzu announced his decision to remove the Indian military presence. India tried to downplay the differences, choosing to focus on the other aspects of the ties between the countries. While there was a suggestion for a visit to India, and dates were being discussed, the President’s office announced that Muizzu will go to Turkey and the UAE for his first foreign trip. This was a break in established tradition, and after his five-day long visit to China, high-level visits between India and Maldives will need a cooling-off period.
For now, the battle continues.
