'Visit beautiful Lakshadweep': Amid tension with Maldives, Delhi Police's post on 'take a break' goes viral

The Delhi Police's social media post on 'X' took a different tone, emphasizing a stress-free approach to travel: "Don't drive stressed. Get proper sleep. Take a break. Visit beautiful Lakshadweep."

Amid the ongoing row with the Maldives for derogatory comments aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Delhi Police took an unconventional step on Tuesday (January 9) by advocating for tourism in Lakshadweep through its social media channels. This move comes after three deputy ministers' disparaging remarks about Modi's post on 'X', suggesting a subtle attempt to position the Union Territory as an alternative tourist destination to the Maldives, leading to a brewing controversy between the nations.

The comments by these ministers have caused a stir within India, prompting various celebrities, including Bollywood icons Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, to encourage exploring domestic tourist spots over visiting the Maldives.

Their collective appeal on 'X' aimed to redirect attention to "Indian islands" and coastal getaways.

The Delhi Police's social media post on 'X' took a different tone, emphasizing a stress-free approach to travel: "Don't drive stressed. Get proper sleep. Take a break. Visit beautiful Lakshadweep."

As tensions escalated, a leading Indian travel platform, EaseMyTrip, announced the suspension of bookings to the Maldives. Simultaneously, the Maldivian envoy in India faced the heat as the external affairs ministry summoned them to express strong concerns over the disparaging social media posts targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

With these developments, in Male, the Maldivian government conveyed to Indian High Commissioner Munu Muhawar that the offensive remarks against Modi did not align with their official stance, distancing themselves from the derogatory comments.