Several Indian celebrities and social media influencers have joined an online campaign calling for a boycott of the Maldives and its tourist spots after a minister of the island nation made derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The ongoing clashes trace their origins to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep, which spurred interest in the Indian island among travel enthusiasts. During his visit, Modi inaugurated several development projects and also explored the beautiful beaches of Lakshadweep. Pictures of Modi snorkeling in the sea went viral on social media and were the most popular on X.
However, Modi’s attempt to boost tourism in Lakshadweep has apparently irked some people in the Maldives, including government officials. Maldives Minister Mariam Shiuna mocked Modi for his visit to Lakshadweep in a now-deleted post on X. Shiuna encouraged tourists to visit the island nation through the #VisitMaldives trend. Some other Maldivian netizens also posted racist and offensive comments against Indians.
As a result of the case, some Indian celebrities and online influencers joined calls for a boycott of the Maldives. The latest to join the bandwagon is former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra. On Saturday, Chopra took to X and posted, “’India Out’ was part of the manifesto. The Maldives voted for him. Now it is up to us Indians to choose wisely. I know my family will. Jai Hind”.
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Actor Akshay Kumar also condemned the comments of the Maldivian junior minister and reiterated the importance of dignity. He also emphasized the need to support Indian tourism and island exploration in the country.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar did not name the Maldives but joined the online campaign to promote Indian beaches and tourist spots.
Actor John Abraham tweeted under the trend #exploreindianislands and urged tourists to flock to Lakshadweep.
Social media influencer Sonam Mahajan also urged Indians to cancel trips to the Maldives following the recent comments of a Maldivian minister.
“Dear Indians, please listen to Maldivian ministers who are desperate for Indians to leave. Cancel your travel plans (if any) for the Maldives as soon as possible. Why do you want to go to a country whose people hate you? Lakshadweep awaits you,” Mahajan wrote.
Another social media influencer tweeted a photo of sunrise in Lakshadweep and urged Indians to visit the island instead of the Maldives. “Sunrise in #Lakshdweep India. You won’t see this in the Maldives,” Baba Banaras captioned the photo.
