Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has said that no Indian military personnel will remain in the country after May 10, be it in uniform or civilian clothing, Maldives-based The Edition reported.
Addressing the residential community of Baa Atoll Eydhafushi, he said that the Indian military will not reside in Maldives in any form of clothing after May 10. Muizzu said that people who spread false rumours are trying to twist the situation.
Muizzu said, “That these people [Indian military] are not departing, that they are returning after changing their uniforms into civilian clothing. We must not indulge such thoughts that instill doubts in our hearts and spread lies,” The Edition reported.
“There will be no Indian troops in the country come May 10. Not in uniform and not in civilian clothing. Indian military will not be residing in this country in any form of clothing. I state this with confidence,” he added.
Muizzu made the statement after the Opposition started criticising the government asserting that the Indian personnel sent to Maldives as civilians are in reality military officials out of uniform and that the government has no way to discover otherwise, according to The Edition report.
Reacting to the Opposition’s criticism, Mohamed Muizzu said that Indian military personnel have started leaving the Maldives after discussions held between the two nations.
His statement comes as the two nations have agreed to remove the Indian military presence in Maldives by May 10. The first group of Indian troops who have departed from Maldives are the Indian military personnel operating helicopters in Addu City.
The Indian military personnel present in Haa Dhaalu Atoll Hanimaadhoo and Laamu Atoll Kahdhoo are also expected to depart from Maldives ahead of May 10, The Edition reported.
Notably, Muizzu is considered close to China and he even ran the electoral campaign on the line of ‘India Out’. Since coming to power, he has taken several steps that have been unconventional from the point of view of India-Maldives ties.
The removal of Indian troops from Maldives was the main election campaign of Muizzu’s party and he put up a formal request with New Delhi regarding the same, just on the second day after assuming office.