With a combined total of 55 seats in the 87-member house, the two major opposition parties voiced concerns about matters of transparency and foreign policy.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the Democrats, the two main opposition parties in the nation, referred to India as their “most long-standing ally” on Wednesday, voicing alarm over the government of the Maldives’ “anti-India stance”.

Following the Maldivian government’s recent announcement allowing a Chinese ship outfitted for research and surveys to dock at a Maldivian port for replenishment, the two parties released a statement denouncing the foreign policy as “extremely detrimental” to the long-term development of the nation.

Since Mohamed Muizzu, the newly elected president, decided to visit Beijing as soon as he took office, tensions between India and the Maldives have increased. The opposition parties in the Maldives have voiced worries about this break from convention, according to which New Delhi has traditionally been the first place a Maldivian president would go for assistance.

The two parties noted in the statement that the current administration “appears to be making a stark pivot towards an anti-India stance” in reference to the Maldives’ foreign policy approach. Both the Democrats and the MDP think it will be disastrous for the nation’s long-term growth to alienate any development partner, particularly its longest-standing ally.

In a joint press conference addressing numerous governance-related concerns, Democratic Party President MP Hassan Latheef and Parliamentary Group Leader MP Ali Azim were joined by MDP Chairperson and former Minister Fayyaz Ismail and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament MP Ahmed Saleem.

As the Maldives has historically done, successive governments of the nation must be able to collaborate with all development partners for the benefit of the people of the Maldives, they declared in a joint statement. For the Maldives to be stable and secure, the Indian Ocean must be stable and secure.

The two opposition parties, which together have 55 seats in the 87-member chamber, promised to work together on problems of governance and voiced concerns about topics of foreign policy and transparency.

Though no particular nation was identified, the parties expressed concerns about the state’s financial openness as well as the secrecy surrounding Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and Agreements that the government signs, especially with foreign corporations.

The parties’ official websites and social media accounts released a unified statement that addressed these concerns.

The opposition also condemned efforts to restrict media outlets and impede press freedom.

According to the Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs, India and the Maldives agreed on January 14 to hasten the departure of Indian military forces from the island nation.

One of the main promises made by President Mohammad Muizzu’s party in the most recent presidential elections was the withdrawal of Indian troops. At the moment, the Maldives is home to about 70 Indian soldiers, two HAL Dhruv helicopters, and a Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft. Muizzu formally asked the Indian government to remove its military forces not long after taking power.

In addition to the focus on the withdrawal of Indian military personnel, a major controversy surfaced recently when a deputy minister from the Maldives, along with other cabinet members and government officials, made disparaging remarks regarding the recent visit to Lakshadweep by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his proposal to transform the Indian island into a popular beach tourism destination.

SOURCE: https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/maldives-opposition-parties-hit-out-government-anti-india-stance-101706132254244.html