Maldivian politician Mariyam Shiuna, who was suspended as a minister from Mohamed Muizzu's government for mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India, which led to diplomatic tension between the two nations, has issued a new apology for a recent post that allegedly disrespected the Indian Tricolour.
Shiuna was one of three ministers heavily criticised by Indians for their derogatory social media posts against India.
Following the deletion of the objectionable tweet, Shiuna stated that she did not intend to disrespect India or the country's national flag.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the former minister wrote, "I would like to address a recent social media post of mine that has garnered attention and criticism .I extend my sincerest apologies for any confusion or offense caused by the content of my recent post. 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."
"Maldives deeply value its relationship and, the mutual respect we share with India. In future I will be more vigilant in verifying the content I share to prevent such oversights," she added.
According to reports, the deleted post targeted the opposition MDP's campaign poster, wherein the opposition party's logo was replaced with what appeared to be the Ashok Chakra. In the Indian flag, the Navy Blue-colored Ashok Chakra was situated on the white band.
The post read, "The MDP is heading towards a big slip. The people of Maldives do not want to fall and slip with them."
In January, Shiuna and two colleagues – Abdulla Mahzoom Majid and Malsha Shareef – were suspended by the Muizzu government. The Maldivian Mohamed Muizzu and his party PNC are known for their anti-India and pro-China stance. The ministers' statements came in the aftermath of PM Modi's visit to Lakshadweep islands, which was interpreted as India's effort to promote the islands as a tourist destination.
Following the controversy, many Indians canceled their Maldives travel plans in response to the disrespect shown towards India and Indians by Maldivian ministers.
