India Out movement grassroots-led, MP Azaan says
Azaan’s comments were made in response to remarks by Abdullah Haleel, who spoke during an interview with Indian media while visiting India.
Ahmed Azaan Marzooq, a prominent member of Hithadhoo Central's Progressive National Congress (PNC) and a key figure behind the 'India Out' movement, yesterday elaborated on the motivations behind the campaign aimed at expelling Indian influence from the Maldives. Speaking passionately, Azaan emphasized that the 'India Out' campaign, launched during the last administration, was not just a political statement, but a mass movement driven by the people’s desire to reclaim the country’s sovereignty and remove Indian troops stationed on Maldivian soil.
Azaan’s comments were made in response to remarks by Abdullah Haleel, who spoke during an interview with Indian media while visiting India. Haleel, a figure tied to former President Abdulla Yameen's administration, attempted to downplay the significance of the movement. Azaan, however, firmly disagreed with Haleel's perspective and took to social media to clarify his position.
In his post on X (formerly Twitter), Azaan underscored that the 'India Out' movement was a direct response to what many Maldivians perceived as an overreach of Indian influence. He explained that the presence of Indian military personnel in the Maldives, along with the secretive military agreements signed under the previous government, led to growing concerns about the country’s independence. Azaan highlighted key agreements such as the Hydrography Agreement and the Northern Territory (UTF) Agreement, both of which, according to him, jeopardized the nation’s sovereignty.
He emphasized, “It’s not a coincidence that these agreements were made when foreign military forces were stationed in the Maldives. The people raised their voices against this growing influence, and I, too, joined them in pushing for a movement that would protect the Maldives from being drawn into any foreign power's agenda.”
Azaan recounted how what initially began as a conversation on social media snowballed into a national cause. The movement was not just about resisting India’s military presence but about safeguarding the Maldives' autonomy from any foreign power. Through his online newspaper and public discourse, Azaan rallied citizens to stand up against what he saw as a violation of their national interests.
“We didn’t just want to limit foreign influence from one country; we wanted to ensure that no foreign power could manipulate our policies or alter the very fabric of our independence,” he added, stressing that the 'India Out' campaign was a broader movement for national self-determination.
Azaan also linked the success of the movement to the 2023 presidential election, asserting that the people's decision to elect President Mohamed Muizzu was rooted in his promise to restore and protect the Maldives' independence. Azaan praised Muizzu for his stance on sovereignty, noting that one of the main reasons voters supported him was his commitment to upholding the nation's freedom from foreign interference.
"Under President Muizzu, the people’s wishes have been heard clearly," Azaan said. “His government has already started taking meaningful steps to honor that promise. The review of questionable agreements and the termination of the Hydrography Agreement are clear signs of this.”
Azaan pointed to the significant strides made by the current government to reverse some of the controversial policies of the previous administration. He highlighted that Indian troops had been withdrawn from the Maldives and replaced by civilian personnel, further aligning with the movement's call for an end to foreign military presence. Additionally, he noted that the recent amendment to the Maldivian Constitution, which now requires parliamentary consent for any foreign military presence or changes in the economic zone, was a crucial step towards ensuring that the country's sovereignty is never compromised again.
“Under the previous government, there were compromises made for political survival. But today, with President Muizzu in power, we are seeing a restoration of sovereignty," Azaan remarked. "The government is upholding the will of the people and rejecting any attempts to trade our independence for temporary political gains."
While critical of India's influence, Azaan also acknowledged the strategic importance of maintaining a healthy relationship with the neighboring country. “India is our closest neighbor, a fact we cannot and do not deny. But our relationship should be based on mutual respect, fairness, and recognition of the Maldives as an equal partner,” he said.
Azaan stressed that the ‘India Out’ movement was never about antagonizing India but about ensuring that the Maldives retains its autonomy and independence in its foreign relations. He emphasized that the current administration's policies are aligned with this principle.
In his conclusion, Azaan reaffirmed his belief in the importance of protecting Maldivian sovereignty. “Under the current government, we are witnessing the reclamation of our national dignity and autonomy. Unlike the previous administration, which was willing to compromise the country’s interests to retain power, President Muizzu is taking bold steps to put the people’s wishes first. We will continue to stand for the sovereignty of the Maldives, and we will never compromise on that.”
