Male: Ex-President of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, condemned the disparaging comments made by a Maldivian minister about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of a controversy sparked by Maldivian ministers ridiculing PM Modi's visit to Lakshadweep.

Nasheed voiced dismay at the offensive language used by Minister Mariyam Shiuna and stressed that India is a crucial ally for the security and well-being of the Maldives.

"What appalling language by Maldives Government official Mariyam Shiuna towards the leader of a key ally, that is instrumental for the Maldives’ security and prosperity. The Mohamed Muizzu government must distance itself from these comments and give clear assurance to India they do not reflect government policy (sic)," the Maldives' first democratically-elected President, Nasheed, wrote on X.

Mariyam Shiuna, the Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment in the Maldives, referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "clown" and "puppet" in posts on X, which have since been deleted.

These tweets were removed following criticism and backlash on the micro-blogging site.

Other Maldivian officials, including another minister named Zahid Rameez, also mocked Prime Minister Modi's visit to Lakshadweep after the photos garnered significant attention on social media as many drew comparisons between Modi's visit and the Maldives.

Rameez responded to a tweet that claimed that PM Modi's move is a "big setback" for the Maldives and "will boost" tourism in Lakshadweep, saying, "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".

These remarks drew sharp condemnations against the Maldives officials, with many people calling to "boycott the Maldives".

The row erupted under the shadow of strained India-Maldives ties after President Mohamed Muizzu, who is seen as a pro-China politician, came to power.

Muizzu assumed the presidency of the Maldives in November 2023. As part of his election promise, he committed to withdrawing a group of approximately 75 Indian military personnel from his country and revising the Maldives' longstanding "India first" policy.

'Boycott Maldives' is trending on social media following a tweet by a Maldives minister days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pictorial visit to the Lakshadweep archipelago.

PM Modi's visit to the country's smallest Union Territory comprising 36 islands with an area of 32 sq km was seen as a move to promote tourism on the island.