Malé, Maldives — Former President and current Speaker of Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed has stated that establishing an Indian consulate would benifit both Maldives and Addu City.
The statement from Speaker Nasheed comes after multiple criticism from the citizens after the India’s Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that they have approved the opening of a new Consulate General of India in Addu City, Maldives in 2021.
Speaker Nasheed tweeted that the vision of Addu City is always open for the world and that it is never locked.
Estbalishing an Indian Consulate in Addu City would benifit both the country and Addu.
Speaker Mohamed Nasheed
Although the government of Maldives has yet to approve the establishment of an Indian consulate in Addu City, Mayor of Addu City, Ali Nizar stated that the Addu City Council will provide full support in the matter as it is an important decision made regarding the development of Addu.
However, social media has been filled with criticism towards the decision of building a consulate in Addu City with many people believing that the freedom of Addu City would be lost with the established of an Indian Consulate and that it would not bring any development the pro-government are stating.
The popular mathematian, Professor Mohamed Ugail has also stated that it is unwise to spend government and Addu Council’s time and resources on such an endeavor and that opening a consulate office will not bring economic, urban or social development to Addu City.
If the government accepts the offer to establish an Indian consulate in Addu City, then it will be the first time in Maldives’ history that a diplomatic mission of a foreign country will be opened in an island other than the capital Malé city.
