Mohammed Nasheed, the Maldives’ first democratically elected president, has urged the country’s opposition parties to stop spreading “hatred” and “hostility” towards India. Anti-Indian propaganda has risen significantly in the archipelago in recent times.

Nasheed, who is currently the speaker of parliament, is a known pro-Indian and pro-democraty leader in the Maldives. Taking to Twitter on Friday, he noted that there was hostile and disrespectful rhetoric being spread in the Maldives. 

He also advised opposition parties not to spread hatred against India. 

The current administration in the Maldives is considered close to India and had reversed policy decisions, taken earlier during the previous administration that had damaged ties with India.

For a year now, sections of the opposition have criticised the government for compromising the country’s sovereignty for its closeness to India. In the last one and a half years, they also backed politically charged anti-India protests. 

Recently, the anti-Indian rhetoric resurfaced after India, in May, had announced the decision of opening a consulate in the southern and politically sensitive city of Addu. 

A report in Sun news also suggested that Indian High Commission in Male had even written a letter to the country’s foreign ministry, asking them to take action against those local media spreading lies and animosity against India.