India-Maldives row: "We must respect the PM's post," says Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar

File Photo/PTI

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar Tuesday said that any person holding any government position and making derogatory comments on Prime Minister is "unacceptable". His comments came in reaction to India-Maldives row over Male MP's post on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"He (Narendra Modi) is the Prime Minister of our country and if anyone from any other country holding any position makes such comments on our PM, we won't accept it," Pawar said speaking at a press conference in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The veteran politician said that Prime Minister's post needs to be respected and any derogatory comments from outside should be objected.

"We must respect the PM's post. We won't accept anything against the Prime Minister from outside the country," Pawar said.

A massive row was triggered after the Maldives deputy minister, along with other cabinet members and government officials, made disparaging and unsavoury references to PM Modi's Lakshadweep visit, newswire PTI reported.

On January 2, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Union Territory of Lakshadweep and shared several pictures, including an 'exhilarating experience' of him trying his hand at snorkelling.

In a series of posts on X, PM Modi shared pictures of the white beaches, the pristine blue skies and the ocean and tagged them with a message that read, "For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list."

In a post that has now been deleted, the Maldivian Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Mariyam Shiuna, made a mocking and disrespectful reference to PM Modi.

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Indians, including cricketers and film celebrities, have since come out in open support in promoting local beach destinations and other tourist spots. They also voiced support for PM Modi's call for promoting beach tourism in Lakshadweep.

The Maldives government has, however, distanced itself from the remarks made by its ministers. Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer said that these remarks against foreign leaders are "unacceptable" and do not reflect the official position of the Maldives government. (With inputs from ANI)