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Indian Lawmaker’s 'Invade Maldives' Tweet Stirs Diplomatic Tiff

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After a meeting with exiled former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed in Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, Indian lawmaker Subramaniam Swamy had tweeted on Friday that "India should invade [the] Maldives if rigging of election takes place."

New Delhi (Sputnik): Indian lawmaker Subramanian Swamy has clarified that the views he expresses on social media are not necessarily the official stance of India's ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), following a huge controversy over a recent tweet in which he opined that "India should invade [the] Maldives" if rigging takes place in the country's upcoming presidential elections.

READ MORE: Maldives Rejects Reports of Visa Denial to Indians Amid Slump in Relations

"It's my opinion that [the] Indian government has a responsibility to protect its citizens for which invasion is necessary," local news agency ANI quoted Swamy as saying.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands during a welcome ceremony outside the Treasury in London on November 12, 2015 on the first day of a three-day visit to Britain. - Sputnik International
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Indian PM Expresses Concern Over Credibility of Early Elections in Maldives
Swami's clarification comes after the government of the Maldives on Sunday summoned the Indian ambassador, Akhilesh Mishra, and conveyed "displeasure" over Swamy's tweet. 

The island nation's government has also submitted a démarche to the Indian government, expressing shock at the statement.

On August 22, Swamy had tweeted that he met with former Maldivian President Nasheed.

Meanwhile, the government of India has sought to completely disassociate itself from the idea of invading the Maldives as suggested by Subramanian Swamy. 

READ MORE:India Delays Roll Back of Choppers Gifted to Maldives Despite Deadline

"The opinion expressed by Dr. Swamy in his tweet is personal. It does not reflect the views of the government of India," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Bilateral relations between India and the Maldives have been tense since February this year when the president of the Maldives declared a state of emergency, which was condemned by India.

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