Indian troops cannot be removed with short tempers, says President

Feb 7, 2024, 12:53 PM
President Muizzu during tour of Thaa atoll islands. -- Photo: President's Office

President Muizzu during tour of Thaa atoll islands. -- Photo: President's Office

The government cannot produce results by being short-tempered during talks for the removal of Indian soldiers from the Maldives, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said last night.

President Muizzu's remarks in Thaa Veymandoo about the ineffectiveness of showing anger to achieve favorable outcomes were at odds with his harshly-worded rebuke of India upon returning from a state visit to China last month.

"These are things that can be achieved by talking nicely and properly explaining in a manner that everyone could believe that our country is an independent and democratic country," the President said while speaking in Veymandoo. "You can't achieve things by being short-tempered."

The President said established rules and norms should be followed to produce results.

"It will be very easy to criticize from afar. Anyone can do that. But reality doesn't change because of that criticism. Things can be achieved when you do things the way it's supposed to be done," he said.

On January 13, following his trip to China, the President said in English in the presence of Indian Ambassador Munu Mahawar: "We may be small but that doesn't give you the license to bully us."

The President said the previous government "needed permission to get up from one chair and sit down on another chair" and that "we will stand up on our own two feet without depending on anyone."

President Muizzu faced criticism from many people over his verbal attack against India. The President did not follow proper diplomatic rules in his remarks that day, many people noted.

However, the President said in Veymandoo last night that he was not the enemy of any country. Other people were trying to pin that label on the government, he said.

"We are not being an enemy. It is other people who want to create that enmity. They want to use that label. I say what I say very clearly, very directly, so clearly that you can't take a second meaning from it," the President said.

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