A week on, Nasheed continues to remain in Indian mission

Male: India on Tuesday remained in hectic diplomatic parleys to resolve the situation arising out of former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed taking refuge in its High Commission in Male for the seventh day to evade an arrest warrant.

As part of the ongoing consultations, the Indian High Commissioner D M Mulay has in last few days met Thasmeen Ali, leader of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).

The DRP is now the second largest party in Maldives with 22,687 members and a key constituent of the coalition government headed by President Mohamed Waheed.

Mulay also met prospective Presidential candidate of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Abdullah Yameen. PPM, the party belonging to former Maldivian ruler Maumoon Gayoom, has the third largest membership.

Nasheed’s party has a membership of around 45,000 and is the single largest party while Waheed’s party has 3,217 members, according to latest figures from the election commission.

Stepping up pressure on India, Maldives has pressed for facilitation of the arrest of Nasheed against whom a fresh court warrant was issued on Monday.

The Court has directed the police to produce Nasheed before it by 4 pm on Wednesday.

However, India is unlikely to ask Nasheed to leave because it feels it was up to the Maldivian leader to take a call, sources had said in New Delhi.

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The situation showed no signs of resolution despite efforts at the official level to do so.

45-year-old Nasheed, took refuge in the Mission on 13 February to evade arrest warrant issued by a court in a case concerning the detention of Chief Judge of the Criminal Court during his Presidency in January last year.

In another development, Nasheed’s party - Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) - has written to External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid asking India to continue to support and assist to “seek a solution to the political crisis in the Maldives”.

In a letter signed by Moosa Manik, MDP Chairperson, the party raised concerns over the current political crisis and “thanked the Indian government for their assistance to mediate to resolve the political issues the Maldives faces today”.

The MDP also raised concerns over the arrest warrant issued to present Nasheed before court on Wednesday under police custody, a statement released by the Party said.

It said Manik wrote in the letter that “following news of a second arrest warrant by the Hulhumale’ Magistrate’s Court we are extremely worried for his safety at the hands of the Maldives police.

He has been subjected to police brutality and harassment by the authorities over the past year”.

Chairperson also thanked the government of India for the hospitality and kindness extended to Nasheed, the statement said.

MDP has condemned the new arrest warrant issued against Nasheed.

“Waheed, in collusion with allies in the judiciary, has established a kangaroo court to convict President Nasheed. The Judicial Services Commission that set up the court comprises Waheed’s appointees as well as Nasheed’s political rivals, including those running for president.

“Waheed hides behind so-called judicial independence but his fingerprints are all over this trial,” MDP spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said in a statement.

PTI