Man arrested for vandalizing Nasheed’s family home with ‘India Out’ graffiti

Police have arrested the man suspected of vandalizing parliament speaker, former president Mohamed Nasheed’s family home, G. Kenereege, with ‘India Out’ graffiti last week. 

‘India Out’ was found written in bold letters in green spray paint on the outer wall of Kenereege on May 31. 

A police spokesperson said a 28-year-old Maldivian male was arrested in connection to the case under court warrant on Sunday. 

Nasheed is one of the most vocal critics of the ‘India Out’ campaign launched by the opposition PPM-PNC coalition to protest against Indian military presence in Maldives.

He recently urged politicians to refrain from involvement in the campaign, stating it would only serve to isolate and weaken Maldivian people.

The residence of Defense Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi, another vocal critic of the ‘India Out’ movement was targeted with a similar act of vandalism the week before.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih issued a decree banning the ‘India Out’ movement on April 21, deeming it a threat to national security.

All state institutions have been instructed to enforce the decree.

However, the opposition continued to put up banners and graffiti the walls of buildings with slogans linked to the movement.

President Solih said in his decree that the ‘India Out’ movement was a deliberate attempt to hinder the longstanding relations between Maldives and India, and international efforts to maintain security in the region, and that incitement to hatred against a specific country put Maldives at risk of loss of peace and stability, huge economic and social burden, and isolation in the international arena.

PPM has filed a lawsuit over the decree, calling the move an infringement on the right to freedom of expression.