Maldives politician’s racist remarks and mockery of Modi’s Lakshadweep visit ignite calls for tourism boycott | India News

NEW DELHI: A racist remark by Maldivian politician Zahid Rameez, a council member of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), targeting Indians and accompanied by a mocking comment about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s Lakshadweep visit, has triggered widespread outrage and a surge in cancellations by prospective tourists to the Maldives.
Rameez’s controversial statement, referring to a “permanent smell in the rooms” after PM Modi’s visit, incited a significant backlash on social media, with calls for a boycott of the Maldives as a tourist destination.
The inflammatory remarks were prompted by a post from the popular user @MrSinha, who shared images of PM Modi’s Lakshadweep visit on X. Sinha praised the visit as a setback to the new Chinese-influenced Maldivian government and a boost to Lakshadweep tourism.

In response on January 5, Rameez commented dismissively, stating, “The move is great. However, the idea of competing with us is delusional. How can they provide the service we offer? How can they be so clean? The permanent smell in the rooms will be the biggest downfall.”

A considerable number of Indian tourists have opted to cancel their Maldives vacation plans in response to derogatory comments made by ministers within the Maldivian government. Below are excerpts from various posts on X expressing the discontent:

Despite facing widespread criticism on social media platforms, Rameez, a PPM member, chose not to issue an apology or retract his statement. Instead, he defiantly portrayed himself as a victim, emphasizing his identity as a Muslim, stating, “I was born in India, and FYI, I’m not a lawmaker. I share my thoughts through tweets. It’s confusing why there’s a reaction, especially when there have been more hurtful comments about us, Muslims, and Palestine by your people. Anyway, I usually don’t comment, so this one time, deal with it, please.”

The already strained diplomatic relations between India and the Maldives have been further exacerbated by the political shift in the country. The newly elected president, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the PPM, is perceived as leaning more towards China than his predecessor. Muizzu has already requested India to withdraw its military forces from the Maldives, a move conveyed to Indian Union Minister Kiren Rijiju during his visit for the president’s inauguration ceremony in November.