The Maldives government, in a statement on Sunday, rejected the derogatory remarks made by the country’s minister against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that they do not represent the views of the Maldivian government.

“The Government of Maldives is aware of derogatory remarks on social media platforms against foreign leaders and high-ranking individuals. These opinions are personal and do not represent the views of the Government of Maldives,” the official statement read.

“The Government believes that freedom of expression should be exercised in a democratic and responsible manner, and in ways that do not spread hatred, negativity, and hinder close relationships between the Maldives and its international partners. Moreover, the relevant authorities of the Government will not hesitate to take action against those who make such derogatory remarks,” it added.

A row erupted after multiple Maldivian politicians, including a minister, mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep.

Mariyam Shiuna, Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment in the Maldives, even called PM Modi a ‘clown’ and ‘puppet’ in now-deleted posts on X (formerly known as Twitter). The tweets were taken down after backlash on the micro-blogging site.