Former President of the Maldives Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom has said a PPM administration would terminate all agreements with neighboring India. He made the statement while speaking at an 'India Out' event held at Lh. Naifaru on Saturday.
President Yameen said the current administration and the Indian government have caused great grievance to the Maldivian people and said there must be no agreement with such parties. A future PPM government would terminate all agreements between Maldives and India, Yameen said, including all technical and other traditional agreements between the two countries.
Heavily criticizing top government officials, Yameen said government officials are 'slaves' to India. He claimed that this resulted from India bearing all the expenses to ensure that Yameen did not get re-elected in the 2018 Presidential Election.
The former president reiterated that Indian military vessels could enter the Maldives' EEZ without seeking permission from Maldivian authorities due to the agreements between India and Maldives. The agreements are designed such that Indian authorities are only required to notify the arrival of their vessels, he said. He added that the statement issued by the Defense Ministry refuting the claims are politicized statements.
The opposition leader also challenged MNDF generals to refute his statements. He called on them to call a press conference and give clear and precise answers to journalists.
The opposition's India Out campaign seeks to drive out Indian military personnel stationed in the Maldives. The campaign has gained momentum in recent months, especially in the atolls.
