Amidst the Maldives controversy, Nishant Pitti, the co-founder and CEO of EaseMyTrip, announced a temporary suspension of flight bookings to the Maldives. This action was driven by offensive comments from Maldives ministers targeting India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Standing in support of India, Nishant Pitti said on social media: “In solidarity with our nation, @EaseMyTrip has suspended all Maldives flight bookings.” Online travel solutions provider EaseMyTrip launches Lakshadweep tour by #ChaloLakshadweep. Ancient destination that our Prime Minister @NarendraModi has recently visited! Amid the growing dispute between India and Maldives, the hashtag #BoycottMaldives gained popularity on social media as Indian tourists started canceling their scheduled holidays to the island nation.
Founded in 2008 by Nishant Pitti, Rikant Pitti, and Prashant Pitti, EaseMyTrip, with its headquarters in New Delhi, is gearing up to promote the scenic beauty of Lakshadweep. In a post dated January 4, Prashant Pitti expressed that the waters and beaches of Lakshadweep are comparable to those of Maldives and Seychelles. He also mentioned that EaseMyTrip will soon introduce special offers to encourage travel to this pristine destination, especially following the recent visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Maryam Sheuna, Malsha Sharif, and Mahzoom Majeed faced suspension due to their critical comments about PM Modi, causing a significant public outcry. Sheuna, in particular, posted offensive remarks on the social media platform X, along with pictures from PM Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep. Although the post has been removed, it triggered a response from the Maldives government, leading to the suspension of the three ministers for their derogatory remarks against PM Modi. The strained relations between India and the Maldives, stemming from these comments, prompted celebrities in the Indian film industry to initiate a “Visit Lakshadweep” campaign, using the hashtag #ExploreIndianIslands.