Maldives' Oppn party welcomes President Muizzu govt's 'sudden recalibration' of its India policy
Male, Aug 11: The Maldivian Democratic Party has welcomed President Mohammad Muizzu-led government's "sudden recalibration" of its India policy and said Male has always been confident that India will always be the first responder any time the Maldives “dials an international 911".
Abdulla Shahid, the president of the main opposition, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), made remarks after he met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar here on Saturday.
The MDP president said that his party “calls on the Muizzu government to issue a public apology for the actions, lies and irresponsible comments from its officials which have resulted in significant damage to the Maldives' foreign and economic outlook.”
Jaishankar is on a three-day official visit to the Maldives to reset the bilateral relationship, the first high-level trip from India after the archipelago nation's pro-China President Muizzu assumed office last year.
"Great pleasure to warmly welcome and meet Indian External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar to the Maldives with my colleagues from @MDPSecretariat," Shahid, the former foreign minister, said in a statement posted on 'X' late Saturday night.
"The Maldives has always been confident that India will always be the first responder any time the Maldives “dials an international 911",” he said.
He said the “current government’s initial stoking of anti-India sentiments through aggressive slogans, mockery and the branding of a time-tested friend and development partner as a regional bully, has caused a decline in the Maldives international standing, economic loss, and many other unnecessary difficulties, and challenges."
“With this in mind, the MDP welcomes the sudden recalibration of the Maldives-India policy of President Muizzu’s government, from its previous India Out policy,” Shahid said.
India's relationship with the Maldives has come under severe strain since Muizzu took charge as the President late last year.
Within hours of his oath, he had demanded the withdrawal of Indian military personnel manning three aviation platforms gifted by India to the Maldives. After talks between the two countries, the Indian military personnel were replaced by civilians.
On Saturday, President Muizzu described India as “one of the closest allies” and reaffirmed his administration's full commitment to strengthening the historic and close connections between the two countries.
"The MDP hopes that this shift will not be temporary or superficial, but consistent and meaningful in the best interests of the people of the Maldives," Shahid said.
In a separate statement, the MDP welcomed Jaishankar's visit to the Maldives.
"The Maldives-India relationship has always been based on the principles of mutual respect, respect for international law, territorial integrity, a common desire for regional security, and an open and peaceful Indian Ocean, it said.
The MDP thanked India for its steadfast support of the people of the Maldives.
"The MDP welcomes the exchange of notes during this visit, to train a further 1000 civil service officers - a key human resource programme initiated during (former) president (Ibrahim Mohamed) Solih’s government.
“MDP also welcomes the signing of the MoU between the Ministry of Economic Development and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), on enhancing and expanding digital and integrated payment systems - another MoU that was discussed and finalised during President Solih’s administration," it said.
"The MDP welcomes with gratitude to India, the inauguration and handover of six High Impact Community Development Projects, implemented with grant assistance from the Government of India, and signed and implemented during President Solih’s administration," the statement said.
It said the High Impact Community Development Project scheme is a highly successful and beneficial grant assistance scheme initialised in 2019.
"The Party further welcomes the handover of water and sewerage projects in 28 islands financed through the EXIM Bank of India,” the statement said.
It said these projects were undertaken through the USD 800 million Line of Credit extended by the Government of India, during the first State Visit of former president Solih to India, in December 2018, and inaugurated during his administration.
The Maldives is one of India's key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean region and the overall bilateral ties, including in the areas of defence and security, witnessed an upward trajectory under the previous government led by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
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B'luru woman files civil suit seeking ₹62 lakhs after alleged harassment by housing society members
Bengaluru: A 22-year-old woman in Bengaluru has made headlines after launching legal action against members of her housing society. She claimed trespassing, harassment, and intimidation at a private meeting at her apartment.
The incident was posted by the woman in detail in a series of posts on Reddit. It reportedly took place on a Saturday night when five of her friends visited her home. She stated that the gathering was quiet, with no music or party, and involved only cooking and conversation.
According to her account, a society member knocked on her door and objected to what he assumed was a gathering of tenants, allegedly stating that “bachelors are not allowed.” The woman claimed that she told him that she was the owner of the flat before closing the door. Soon after, four to five men entered her living room without permission, accusing her and her friends of consuming alcohol and drugs, and demanding that she leave the flat by the next day.
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The woman said her friends intervened and forced the men out of the house. When members of the society contacted the police, the situation escalated. She claimed that the police requested her to prove ownership of the property, which she refused, claiming there was no disturbance and that the men had no right to enter her home. She also stated that CCTV cameras put in her living room captured the entire episode.
In a subsequent post, the woman said she served legal notices to the housing society and the individuals involved, accusing them of trespass, harassment and assault. She claimed the CCTV footage was shown to the builder and the society chairman, following which the accused board members were removed from their positions and fined ₹20,000 each.
She further stated that she had filed a civil suit seeking ₹62 lakh in compensation. She also demanded a permanent injunction restraining the accused from contacting her in the future. According to her lawyer, while full compensation may be unlikely, even partial damages would be significant.
The posts quickly went viral and received strong reactions on social media. Many users praised her decision to pursue legal remedies. Few others asserted that housing society members had no authority to enter a resident’s home without consent.
