Mariyam Shiuna, a suspended minister of the Maldives, has issued an apology following a controversial social media post directed towards the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which inadvertently featured a symbol resembling the Ashok Chakra, a prominent element of the Indian flag.
In her statement posted on X today, Shiuna expressed regret for any confusion or offense caused by her recent social media post. She clarified that the use of an image resembling the Ashok Chakra in her response to the MDP was entirely unintentional.
“It was brought to my attention that the image used in my response to the Maldivian opposition party MDP bore a resemblance to the Indian flag. I want to make it clear that this was entirely unintentional, and I sincerely regret any misunderstanding it may have caused,” Shiuna stated.
Highlighting the importance of the Maldives’ relationship with India, Shiuna emphasized mutual respect and expressed her commitment to being more vigilant in verifying content before sharing to prevent such oversights in the future.
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The controversy arose when Shiuna’s social media post replaced a compass on an MDP poster with a symbol resembling the Ashok Chakra. This incident occurred against the backdrop of diplomatic tensions between India and the Maldives following President Mohamed Muizzu’s assumption of office. President Muizzu has been vocal about the withdrawal of Indian troops stationed in the Maldives for humanitarian services, while also fostering closer ties with China.
President Muizzu’s visit to Beijing and subsequent statements hinting at potential bullying by unnamed countries, widely interpreted as referring to India, have added complexity to diplomatic relations in the region.
With elections looming, President Muizzu has sought to strike a reconciliatory tone by emphasizing India as the Maldives’ “closest ally” while appealing to New Delhi for debt relief. The Maldives currently owes approximately $400.9 million to India as of the end of 2023.
Shiuna’s controversial remarks are not her first instance of making headlines related to India. Earlier, her comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep had sparked criticism from former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed.
Reacting to Shiuna’s remarks, Nasheed denounced her language towards a key ally, stressing India’s importance to the Maldives’ security and prosperity. He urged President Muizzu’s government to distance itself from Shiuna’s comments and reassure India that they do not reflect official government policy.
The incident involving Mariyam Shiuna underscores the delicate nature of diplomatic relations in the Indian Ocean region, particularly amid evolving geopolitical dynamics and the Maldives’ efforts to balance relationships with major powers like India and China.
As the fallout from Shiuna’s social media post continues to reverberate, it remains to be seen how the Maldivian government will navigate these diplomatic challenges and reaffirm its commitment to constructive dialogue and mutual respect among regional partners.
