Government denies chance for press questions on Indian influence

Foreign minister Abdulla Shahid has refused to answer questions about India's influence at a press conference held at the President's Office on Tuesday night, saying it was a question that was not relevant to the topic of discussion. The microphone was cut off when the question was repeated.

At a press conference attended by Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath along with Shahid, Atoll Times asked about the Maldives' foreign policy and the government's lack of transparency in matters that are considered to be in India's interests.

The first Atoll Times question at the second opportunity was about why the Maldives supported OPEC+'s decision to reduce global oil emissions. The question was not called irrelevant.

However, when the second question referred to India, the president's office spokesman Miuvaan Mohamed intervened.

"We have noticed that the government is not speaking up on certain issues related to India's interest," the journalist's question was cut off at this point. 

When the journalist tried to continue with the question, the mic was cut off.

The question was aimed at the government's silence on the attack on former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and the government's refusal to openly welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping's confirmation of another term in office.

Miuvaan, who was Shahid's former spokesman and had earlier worked as a journalist, said it was a question that was not relevant to the topic at hand. So, he repeatedly asked the Atoll Times journalist to wait, stop and then he allowed another journalist to question next.

Even though the microphone was muted, Atoll Times journalist completed the question and indicated for Shahid to respond to it at will. Shahid, however declined from  making any comment on the topic.

"Miuvaan is guiding us to stick to the topic at hand tonight. This is a President’s Office press conference. So if I answer the question, it will violate the rules laid down by this office," said Shahid, who was in front of the media for the first time after spending a year abroad to serve as president of the last session of the UN General Assembly.

"I'll answer you later."

In his four years as a minister, Shahid has met the media sparingly.

Tuesday night's press conference was dedicated to the Chagos case. Even if he did not answer the question of India's influence on the grounds that it was an irrelevant question, questions unrelated to the topic in the past were allowed at press conferences at the President's Office. The questions were answered. This is the first time that the interim president's office has cut the microphone at a press conference where the media was attending by invitation.

The opposition has always alleged that India's influence within the current government is too much. The opposition has also criticised the government for saying that the "secret" military agreements with the country undermine the country's independence. The government, however, denies this.