India-Maldives Row: EaseMyTrip Suspends Flight Bookings To Maldives (Image: X @EaseMyTrip)
Indian travel company EaseMyTrip has decided to suspend all Maldives flight bookings. EaseMyTrip made this crucial decision in response to derogatory remarks made by Maldivian ministers about India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The derogatory comments made by politicians from the island nation have triggered widespread condemnation, and “#BoycottMaldives” also began trending on social media platforms.
In solidarity with our nation, @EaseMyTrip has suspended all Maldives flight bookings ✈️ #TravelUpdate #SupportingNation #LakshadweepTourism #ExploreIndianlslands #Lakshadweep#ExploreIndianIslands @kishanreddybjp @JM_Scindia @PMOIndia @tourismgoi @narendramodi @incredibleindia https://t.co/wIyWGzyAZY
— Nishant Pitti (@nishantpitti) January 7, 2024
The halt of all flight reservations to the Maldives was announced by the CEO and co-founder of EaseMyTrip, Nishant Pitti. “In solidarity with our nation, @EaseMyTrip has suspended all Maldives flight bookings,” wrote Nishant Pitti in a post on social media platform X. EaseMyTrip, one of the most popular online portals for travel booking, was launched by Nishant Pitti, Rikant Pitti, and Prashant Pitti in 2008.
The controversy arose when three deputy ministers of the Maldives criticised PM Modi for his post on “X” following his visit to Lakshadweep. Mariyam Shiuna, Maldives Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, used words like ‘clown’ and ‘puppet’ for the Prime Minister of India. Another minister accused India of targeting the Maldives and also said that India faces significant challenges in competing with the Maldives in beach tourism. The post, which included disrespectful language, was deleted later.
The Maldivian government also suspended three ministers whose social media posts sparked severe criticism. This includes ministers Maryam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef, and Mahzoom Majid. The Maldivian government issued a statement on this matter and said that the opinions of ministers are personal and do not represent the views of the government.
The controversy has also triggered boycott Maldives calls on social media. Several Indian celebrities have joined the boycott calls. Celebrities including Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, and Sachin Tendulkar took to their social media platforms and encouraged everyone to explore the Indian Islands. At the same time, the tourism sector is a significant part of the Maldivian economy, as it is a major source of government revenue.
