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In a remarkable display of solidarity for their homeland, several prominent Indian cricketers recently rallied behind India amidst the brewing controversy involving Lakshadweep and the Maldives. In an effort to promote the beauty of Indian islands, these cricket icons took to social media to share their support for the campaign ‘Explore Indian Islands.’
What led to the Lakshadweep vs Maldives row?
The genesis of this fervent backing can be traced back to the honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi‘s recent visit to Lakshadweep. Sharing awe-inspiring pictures on Twitter, the Prime Minister marvelled at Lakshadweep’s natural beauty.
Although the Prime Minister did not explicitly reference any other country, certain ministers from the Maldives interpreted it as an indirect attack on their nation. Allegations surfaced, accusing Modi of deliberately promoting Lakshadweep as a tourist destination to divert attention from the Maldives.
Social media uproar over derogatory remarks for India
The situation escalated as some Maldivian ministers resorted to using derogatory remarks against India and the Prime Minister. This ignited a fiery debate on social media, prompting influential figures from various fields, including cinema, sports, and politics, to advocate for embracing India’s own treasures rather than those of the Maldives.
Cricket icons join the cause to bat for ‘Explore Indian Islands’ campaign
The ‘Explore Indian Islands’ campaign gained significant momentum as people from all walks of life joined the cause. Among the prominent figures championing this movement were cricketing legends such as Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar, Hardik Pandya, Shikhar Dhawan, and others, who took a stand to promote the mesmerizing beauty of Indian islands.
Hardik Pandya’s strong message
Pandya, condemning the Maldivian actions, expressed his dismay on Twitter and wrote: “Extremely sad to see what’s being said about India. With its gorgeous marine life, beautiful beaches, Lakshadweep is the perfect getaway spot and surely a must-visit for me for my next holiday #ExploreIncredibleIndia.”
Extremely sad to see what’s being said about India. With its gorgeous marine life, beautiful beaches, Lakshadweep is the perfect get away spot and surely a must visit for me for my next holiday 🫶 #ExploreIncredibleIndia pic.twitter.com/UA7suQArLB
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) January 7, 2024
Sachin Tendulkar’s call to action
Tendulkar, widely regarded as the ‘God of Cricket,’ echoed his sentiments, urging people to explore the breathtaking Indian islands. His tweet emphasized the need to appreciate the unparalleled beauty that India has to offer.
250+ days since we rang in my 50th birthday in Sindhudurg!
The coastal town offered everything we wanted, and more. Gorgeous locations combined with wonderful hospitality left us with a treasure trove of memories.
India is blessed with beautiful coastlines and pristine… pic.twitter.com/DUCM0NmNCz
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 7, 2024
Also READ: BCCI announces India’s squad for T20I series against Afghanistan; Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli make comeback
Other prominent cricketers rally behind
Other cricketers, such as Suresh Raina, Dhawan, and Venkatesh Prasad, also took to social media to lend their support to the ‘Explore Indian Islands’ campaign. Their tweets encouraged millions of followers to join the movement and celebrate the natural wonders of their own country.
I saw remarks from prominent public figures in the Maldives, expressing hateful and racist comments directed towards Indians. It's disheartening to witness such negativity, especially considering that India contributes significantly to their economy, crisis management and so many… https://t.co/Imulj3g5I7
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) January 7, 2024
It's disheartening to witness a government minister's negative stance towards India, labeled as a 'personal opinion.' Condemning such behavior and calling for a diplomatic resolution to foster harmony between 🇲🇻 Maldives and 🇮🇳 India. #GlobalUnity #Maldives
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) January 7, 2024
Whether it be the beautiful beaches of Udupi , Paradise Beach in Pondi, Neil and Havelock in Andaman, and many other beautiful beaches throughout our country, there are so many unexplored places in Bharat which have so much potential with some infrastructure support. Bharat is… pic.twitter.com/w8EheuIEUD
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) January 7, 2024
I am noticing hateful and racist comments from famous dignitaries of Maldives against Indians. It's disheartening to witness this coming from a country with which we have such amicable relations, and where their maximum tourism is dependent on us. However, we should not condone… pic.twitter.com/JSExycUKnC
— Amit Mishra (@MishiAmit) January 7, 2024
A deputy minister using such language for our country.
Maldives is a largely poor country largely dependent on upmarket tourism with over 15% tourists from India.
India has very many unexplored beautiful coastal towns, and this is a great opportunity to develop many of them into… pic.twitter.com/TJnRUEK411— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) January 7, 2024
