• Source:JND
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In his first reaction on the India-Maldives row, which erupted after PM Modi’s Lakshadweep visit attracted racist and offensive comments from the prominent leaders in the Maldives, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said it cannot be guaranteed that all nations will every time support India or agree with our views.

“Politics is politics. I cannot guarantee that in every country, every day, everybody will support us or agree with us,” Jaishankar said at a townhall meeting in Nagpur.

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Jaishankar said the government proactively worked to build strong relations in the last ten years. He said they have been trying to foster positive sentiments in people despite several ups and downs in political relations. "What we are trying to do, and with a lot of success in the last 10 years, is to build a very strong connection. Politics may go up and down but the people of that nation generally have good feelings towards India and understand the importance of having good relations,” he said. 

A massive row erupted after several politicians in the Maldives mocked PM Modi’s Lakshadweep visit as netizens saw the Indian island as a potential tourist destination which could be developed as a substitute for Maldives.  

Maldivian politician Zahid Rameez, a council member of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) said the idea of such competition was 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," Rameez said on Besides, Mariyam Shiuna, Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts, also sparked a row after she made insulting remarks against PM Modi over his Lakshadweep visit. Shiuna called PM Modi a "clown" and "puppet" in now-deleted posts on X.

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The contentious remarks hurled at PM Modi and India attracted massive ire on social media platforms. Netizens fervidly promoted trends including #exploreindianislands, #BoycottMaldives.

However, the government in Maldives distanced itself from the comments and issued a statement in this regard.