Nasheed urges Modi visit to ‘disentangle Maldives mess’

Jailed former president Mohamed Nasheed has urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the Maldives to “disentangle us from the mess we are in,” according to his lawyers.

In a series of tweets on Monday, Nasheed’s lawyers, who have relatively regular access to him in prison, said Nasheed believed Modi has the tact to end the stalemate in the Maldives.

“I’d like the Indian PM to visit Maldives. I believe the PM has the tact 2 disentangle us frm the mess we r in”-PN @RajeevShahare @the_hindu

— Hassan Latheef (@HassanLatheef) October 19, 2015

Nasheed’s jailing in February triggered mass protests across the country. Modi dropped the Maldives from an Indian Ocean tour in March. Relations appear to be thawing with India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s visit earlier this month.

The government has said it’s invitation for Modi to visit remains open.

The political crisis, however, has deepened by an explosion on President Abdulla Yameen’s speedboat. The blast was an assassination attempt, officials have said.

Ministers and ruling party MPs are preoccupied with the probe into the blast and an apparent struggle for influence in the country’s top leadership, while Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has scaled up its street activities.

Nasheed’s lawyer Hassan Latheef said the opposition leader believes India’s political pragmatism will not allow it to miss the opportunity in the Maldives now. Yameen’s close ties with China had stoked fears in New Delhi over its rival’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean.

“I strongly believe that political pragmatism will not lead India to drop this catch”-P.N @RajeevShahare @the_hindu @TimesNow @IndianExpress

— Hassan Latheef (@HassanLatheef) October 19, 2015

Nasheed also reportedly spoke of the MDP’s ties with India:

MDP relatns with India is not based on what we get frm India,but on the ‘Idea of India’; Freedom”-P.N- @RajeevShahare @the_hindu @TimesNow

— Hassan Latheef (@HassanLatheef) October 19, 2015

“MDP relations with #India is not dependent on our fortunes: Its in sickness n in health”-Pr.Nasheed- @RajeevShahare @the_hindu @TimesNow

— Hassan Latheef (@HassanLatheef) October 19, 2015

“Our love 4 India is not dependent on what India can do for us but on good films books music dance n happ ppl”-P.N @RajeevShahare @the_hindu

— Hassan Latheef (@HassanLatheef) October 19, 2015

“@MDPSecretariat‘s relations with #India is not a tactic but a conviction”-Pr.Nasheed. @RajeevShahare @the_hindu @TimesNow @IndianExpress

— Hassan Latheef (@HassanLatheef) October 19, 2015

India has not made any public statements on Nasheed’s case since his conviction in March or after a UN human rights panel ruled his imprisonment arbitrary.

India’s ruling BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy earlier this month called on Modi to send a special envoy to Maldives to secure Nasheed’s release. He described Nasheed’s trial as “politically biased, inadequate and subject to external influence.”

The government says Nasheed is convicted of a serious criminal offense, and says the Supreme Court must decide on his imprisonment.