Suspended deputy minister Mariyam Shiuna has slammed former President Abdulla Yameen after he criticized the government for not sacking the senior government officials who insulted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking at a meeting of Yameen's new party People's National Front (PNF), the former President accused three deputy ministers of bullying India while President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu alleged India of bullying Maldives.
"Didn't they bully a lot? Two very high-ranking deputy ministers of the government are doing these things in a very insulting manner towards the Indian people," Yameen said.
Responding in a post on X, Shiuna said the former President was intimated by two women and holding meetings to talk about them.
"It is God who provides, not Yameen!," she wrote.
Shiuna was previously a staunch supporter of the former President. She was seen at the forefront of the "India Out" movement initiated by Yameen and joined protests against the former government.
She also described Yameen's conviction for bribery and his jail sentence as "haram" or unlawful and called for his release.
However, Shiuna did not join Yameen when he withdrew support for the current government.
Yameen earlier said that the Maldives' long-standing friendly relations with India have deteriorated due to the derogatory remarks by the three deputy ministers.
He claimed that he had no personal motives or hostility towards India despite launching the "India Out" movement to remove Indian soldiers from Maldives.
The government suspended the three deputy ministers amid a campaign against Maldives tourism in India backed by Bollywood stars.
As the row escalated, the Maldives ambassador in India was summoned to the External Affairs Ministry and the Indian High Commissioner in the Maldives was also summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Malé.
Besides Shiuna, Mahzoom Majid and Malsha Shareef of the Youth ministry have been suspended.
President's Office Communications Minister Ibrahim Khaleel told Adhadhu that the three deputy ministers were suspended indefinitely as a measure taken to look into the matter.
