Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) Managing Director Fathmath Thaufeeq has deactivated her X account after an anti-India post emerged amid strained India-Maldives ties over the mockery of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Maldivian deputy ministers.
An old tweet on X from the head of the MMPRC, which has a mandate to advertise Maldives tourism, started circulating on social media on Monday. A screenshot of the post from September 23, 2023 was widely shared on social media.
Before deactivating her account, Fathmath claimed that it was a fake post.
Fathmath Thaufeeq's account deactivated.
The controversy was sparked by replies from three Maldivian deputy youth ministers to a post on X by an Indian with a video of Modi's visit to the Indian archipelagic atoll of Lakshadweep. The three deputy ministers were later suspended.
But the row escalated and India launched a coordinated campaign with film stars to boycott the Maldives and promote Lakshadweep.
As bilateral ties worsened, the Maldives ambassador in India was summoned to the External Affairs Ministry on Monday morning. The Indian High Commissioner in the Maldives went to the Foreign Ministry in Malé at noon on Monday.
