00:00 In a surprising turn of events, Nationalist Congress Party or NCP chief Sharad Pawar has
00:06 spoken out against the derogatory comments made by ministers from the Maldives regarding
00:11 Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
00:13 Three Maldivian ministers had earlier passed racial comments on the Indian Prime Minister
00:18 leading to their suspension and sparking widespread outrage in India.
00:22 Addressing the media at a press conference in Mumbai on Tuesday, Sharad Pawar expressed
00:27 his firm stance on the matter.
00:29 He emphasised the need to respect the Prime Minister's position.
00:32 He stated, "He is the Prime Minister of our country and if anyone from any other country
00:38 holding any position makes such comments on our PM, we won't accept it."
00:43 Pawar called for the respect of the Prime Minister's post and urged people to object
00:47 to any derogatory comments from outside.
00:49 The controversy erupted after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lakshadweep on January
00:54 2, where he shared various pictures of the scenic Union Territory, including his attempt
00:59 at snorkelling.
01:00 The Maldives' Deputy Minister Maryam Siyuna and other government officials made disparaging
01:05 comments about PM Modi's visit, triggering a massive row.
01:09 Indian cricketers, film celebrities and citizens have since come out in support of promoting
01:14 local tourist destinations, including Lakshadweep.
01:17 The Maldives' government, however, distanced itself from the remarks made by its ministers.
01:22 Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs Musa Zamir emphasised that such remarks against
01:26 foreign leaders are unacceptable and they do not represent the official position of
01:31 the Maldives' government.
01:33 Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives, Munnu Mahawar, recently held a pre-arranged
01:37 meeting with Ali Nasir Muhammad, Ambassador-at-Large at the Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
01:42 in Mali.
01:43 The meeting aimed to discuss bilateral issues amid the ongoing controversy.
01:48 Former Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Soli also condemned the use of hateful language
01:52 against India by Maldivian government officials.
01:55 He affirmed the enduring friendship between India and the Maldives.
01:59 The situation continues to evolve, with political leaders, celebrities and citizens rallying
02:04 to defend the dignity of the Prime Minister and uphold the values of respect and diplomacy
02:08 between nations.
02:18 [BLANK_AUDIO]
