Indian MP provokes outrage with call to invade Maldives

“India should invade Maldives if rigging of election takes place,” Subramanian Swamy, a member of the upper house of the Indian parliament, tweeted Friday with a Raajje news story about his meeting with former president Mohamed Nasheed to discuss the opposition’s concerns over electoral fraud.

Ministers, ruling party lawmakers and state media promptly seized on the tweet and tied it with a nationalist appeal to reject the Maldivian Democratic Party candidate.

“What we have been saying about the vote on 23/09/2018 being a vote to defend the Maldives’ independence and sovereignty is being proven as the truth,” tweeted Housing Minister Dr Mohamed Muizz.