Amid tension over Maldivian leaders' diatribe against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his Lakshadweep visit, a narrative of misinformation unfolded on social media, blurring the truth.
From Bollywood actors to politicians, everyone tried to give their two cents by peddling misleading narratives. In an attempt to promote Indian tourism, Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh shared an image of three enchanting islands. However, he faced a reality check when it was pointed out that the image was sourced from Maldives, not India. Singh later deleted his post after several people pointed out that the photo was not from India.
Not far behind, Kiren Rijiju, the Cabinet Minister of Earth Sciences, added to the confusion. While promoting Lakshadweep tourism, one of his shared images echoed from the serene waters of Maldives, and another from the picturesque Bora Bora island in French Polynesia.
Fake Screenshot of Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu Apologising to Indians
As the conflict intensified between India and the Maldives amid offensive remarks, a fake screenshot surfaced, claiming that Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu apologized to Indians for his ministers' comments against PM Modi.
However, a closer look reveals no such apology on Muizzu’s X account, and there's no archival evidence to support this claim. The official stance of the Maldivian government, released on January 7, disowns the derogatory remarks, stating they are personal and do not reflect the government's views.
Dubious Claims of Mass Travel Cancellations
Many Indian social media users also initiated a digital movement urging others to boycott the Maldives, using the hashtag #BoycottMaldives. Simultaneously, they advocated for Indian destinations as suitable alternatives for travel.
Several X accounts claimed they canceled their trips to the Maldives. A habitual misinformation-spreading X account, Times Algebra, went further, stating that Indians had canceled 10,500 hotel bookings and 5,520 flight tickets, attributing it to alleged abusive statements by Maldivian ministers against India.
Yet, there is no reliable source confirming these numbers. While numerous Indians seem to have canceled their travel plans to the Maldives according to social media posts, the specific figures appear inflated with no supporting data.
In response to the diplomatic tensions between India and the Maldives, EaseMyTrip's co-founder, Nishant Pitti, accounced on X that they would temporarily suspend bookings to the Maldives as a gesture of solidarity with the nation. Subsequently, a campaign to boycott MakeMyTrip (MMT), the leading travel platform in India, gained traction. Critics of MMT, comparing it to EaseMyTrip, labelled it a Chinese company, pointing to directors with Chinese origins. Notably, MMT did not follow EaseMyTrip in cancelling bookings.
