Staff Reports
The Maldives, a paradise island nation, is in hot water as Indian tourists are giving it the cold shoulder. Why? Well, it all started when officials from the Maldives decided to throw some shade at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a “clown” and a “puppet of Israel.” Ouch!
So, what set off this island drama? It all began when a photo of Modi chilling on a beach in Lakshadweep, a mini-Maldives-like Indian territory, made waves. The Maldives officials weren’t too happy about Modi’s “moments of pure bliss” comments and felt like he was throwing some shade their way.
MASSIVE 11,500 Hotel bookings & 5,520 flight tickets to Maldives have been cancelled so far by Indians after Maldivian Ministers made abusive statements against PM Modi, India & Hindus 🔥
And now they are on their knees begging & apologising
👇😂 #Boycott_Maldives #Lakshadweep https://t.co/u3vxS13N7K
— 𝑷𝑨𝑩𝑳𝑶 𝑬𝑺𝑪𝑶𝑩𝑨𝑹 (@hoosier_ddaddyy) January 8, 2024
The tensions escalated as a deputy minister in the Maldives’s government took to social media to call Modi a “clown” and accused him of being a “puppet of Israel.” Others joined in on the social media bashing, making fun of India and its millions of tourists who visit the Maldives each year. The relationship between Modi and the leaders of the Muslim-majority islands has been rocky, especially with their support for the Palestinians.
The backlash in India was like a volcano erupting. Government officials, Bollywood actors, and tech titans all joined forces, encouraging people to boycott the Maldives. The island nation depends heavily on tourism, raking in more than $3 billion in 2019, with Indian tourists being its main source of luxury spenders.
Now, India sees an opportunity to divert tourists to Lakshadweep, potentially causing a big blow to the Maldives’ economy. Looks like this island feud is just getting started!
