India has expressed concern over recent developments in Maldives, including “arrest and manhandling” of former President Mohamed Nasheed. Nasheed, who was arrested on Sunday under anti-terrorism laws for allegedly ordering the arrest a senior judge in 2012, was on Monday dragged by the police and presented in a criminal court. The court has ordered Nasheed to remain in custody during the entire period of his trial and has been given three days to name his lawyer.
Uncertainly unhappy with the development, India has asked all involved to resolve their differences within the constitutional framework. “We are concerned at recent developments in the Maldives, including the arrest and manhandling of former President Nasheed. We urge all concerned to calm the situation and resolve their differences within the constitutional and legal framework of Maldives. India reiterates its commitment to supporting the people and the Government of Maldives in their quest for peace, development, prosperity and democracy,” said Syed Akbaruddin, Spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), expressing Indian views.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Maldives in March when he travels to Sri lanka, Seychelles and Mauritius as part of India’s Ocean Diplomacy. Nasheed was Maldives’ first democratically elected leader in 2008. In 2012 Nasheed had to quit under growing political pressure and unrest after he had ordered arrest of a judge of criminal court Abdulla Mohamed for allegedly obstructing the police, ordering illegal probes, and accepting bribes to release certain criminals. later when in 2013 a court ordered Nasheed’s arrest in this matter, the former President simply walked in to the compound of Indian High Commission in Male to take refuge and avoid arrest and in the process pushing India into a diplomatic crisis.
Nasheed stayed in Indian Embassy for nearly ten days during which India actively tried to broker a deal between him and Mohammad Waheed Hasan, the then acting President, and help defuse the political crisis. Over the last couple of years, India has tried to proactively engage with the new Maldives Government now headed by Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom. In fact, after his election in November 2013 Gayoom made India his first destination for official visit from January 1-4, 2014 in a bid to repair relations that had soured after Nasheed’s departure in 2012 which also reflected in Maldives Government terminating Indian company GMR’s contract of the Male airport.
However, the relations under PM Narendra Modi’s Govern-ment have started looking up again. The beginning for this was made during Modi's swearing in function that was attended by Gayoom. Modi has since then remained constantly in touch with the Maldives President and the two even met on the sidelines of the SAARC summit in Kathmandu in November. Besides, India recently hosted former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, half brother of current President, and Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon (his daughter) in New Delhi. India went all out to help Maldives recently when the Island nation faced water crisis.