“Howsoever much India talks about democracy but it failed the people here,” opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor told India’s Zee News this week.
The comments came as the Indian and Maldivian governments prepared to celebrate bilateral ties with a week of cultural events.
The Dosti-Ekuverikan week also follows the recent state visit of President Abdulla Yameen to India.
Speaking at the inauguration of the week’s events on Monday (January 20), Vice President Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed praised the “long-standing historical bonds” between the two states.
“India can surely count on the sincere gratitude of our people for the ever-present, ever-reliable friendship, support and assistance,” added Jameel.
Upon President Yameen’s return from India earlier this month, one coalition member described the trip as “the most successful trip a Maldivian leader has ever made to India”, with the vice president suggesting that all recent tensions between the allies had been resolved.
Conversely, Hamid told Zee News that recent events in Maldivian politics are a “disgrace to Indian democracy”.
“People of Maldives do not think that India is that ‘great country’. We have been disappointed, we have been hounded,” the MDP’s international spokesperson told the Hindi news channel.
Hamid recently spent four weeks seeking refuge from arrest in the People’s Majlis. After spending time under house and a short period in jail, Hamid’s charge for failing to attend the court was quashed by the High Court.
“As a politician, especially as an MDP person, I get disappointed whenever I hear such sentences like ‘we are with the people of Maldives’; it just makes me sick. No one is with the people of Maldives because if they were with the people of Maldives, then they would have come to help us in this violent coup.”
“You know, we had no choice [but to accept the presidential election result]. The international community, Commonwealth endorsed the coup. It is similar to what the British did in India, we too have something called CONI reports (Commission of National Inquiry),” he continued.
Hamid repeated his party’s initial pledge to behave as a responsible opposition, although relations with the new administration have begun to appear strained. Attempts to pass revenue raising measures in the Majlis – necessary to finance a record budget – were stymied by MDP representatives last week.
More recently, following local council elections, former President Mohamed Nasheed expressed his intention to seek the new president’s impeachment.
Asked about India’s GMR company – ejected by the previous administration part-way into their US$500 million development of Malé’s international airport – Hamid suggested that GMR had not been backed by the Indian government.
During Yameen’s state visit, Indian PM Dr Manmohan Singh asked for the dispute with GMR – currently the subject of billion dollar arbitration proceedings – be resolved amicably.
The president’s trip included meetings with the Indian business leaders, with the coalition reporting the promise of one billion dollars through the State Bank of India. Yameen has also welcomed the return of GMR investment, though he has ruled out further involvement in the airport.
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Yes this is typical hardcore Anni activist.
These idiots things that the people of Maldives are only those who believe in them.
Majority of Maldivian do not believe Nasheed and his policies and we are seen this before our eyes .
Even in council election 65% of the votes are against MDP. This will still go down if Nasheed starts to get much involved in MDP.
Even MDP members had realized thier mistakes and they now know that Nasheed is after money and power and only hand full people will get benefit and other are there to do hard work for these elites of Nasheed.
Generally Maldivian are very friendly and good people and Nasheed was the person who had made us as violent people .
I don't think that he can do it now and people has realized the mistake and will never follow him .
The dictator political carrier is over and new leaders within MDP will emerge and people like druggist Hameed will be left behind.
So MDP is saying that since they lost the election it is India's fault? What they expected - Indian army coming to help out in the capturing votes? At least Indian (and West) pressure ensured there was an election in the first place. I don't think Indian government is right now interested in knowing what Maldivians think of them - they have an election to face themselves this year.
MDP is not saying anything Virendra, MP Hamid is saying something.
Apart from that it's nonsense to blame other countries for failures here. It's high time all Maldivians realise: foreign countries DO NOT CARE. That's why the core slogan of PPM did not make any sense. There is nothing to protect from imagined foreign influence, islam is not threatened. So obviously they will succeed in protecting the country, cause there is no "invasion".
Why would a country of 11.000x the size and 4.000x the amount of people care about it's nano sized neighbour? Be a bit realistic.. Accusations towards India are ridiculous.
Let me confirm something:
WE DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU OK?
Don't blame India for the chaos in your country.
I think Mr Hamid should look at it from India's point of view. There is only so much pressure India can exert without its involvement is seen as "interference". If India had been more forceful it would be seen as violating Maldivian sovereignty and the Islamists would cry to high heavens about Indian "attack" on Maldivian sovereignty.
Also, any support to one or other political party, no matter how much India would prefer them over their adversaries would make one segment of Maldivian society turn against India.
India can only hope to encourage lawful behavior and not take any sides politically irrespective to the ideologies of various political parties.
When Gayoom was president/dictator for decades it was not the ideal situation but that was the reality India had to deal with India helped him out by rescuing him and his family.
If India becomes a "police man" than ultimately whatever India tries to get Maldives to follow will only be an artificial imposition without support at the base. Maldivians need to have a sustainable society and they must want a democratic, progressive and tolerant society, nobody can force it on them.