Nasheed disappointed with India’s response to Maldives crisis

Indian PM had written to new Maldives Prez expressing support to efforts to ensure stability in country.

Maldives’ ousted president Mohammed Nasheed today said he was disappointed with India over its response to the political turmoil without having properly understood the ground situation in his country.

44-year-old Nasheed,who was forced to step down,making way for his deputy Mohammed Waheed Hassan to assume the post of President,made known his unhappiness over New Delhi reaching out to the new leadership.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had written to the new President Hassan on Wednesday,expressing “continued support” to the efforts to ensure stability and peace in that country.

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“We are with the idea,with the belief that India would have a very proper understanding of the situation in Maldives,that they will have necessary information and intelligence to make a judgement,” Nasheed said.

He said it was disappointing to find that this was not so.

“I think people will have to be focused on what is happening,” he said,adding that he had conveyed his feelings to India’s special envoy M Ganapathi.

Nasheed said he has expressed his opinion to Ganapathi,Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry,during his meeting with him. “The envoy will take what I said to the Prime Minister,” he said.

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Later,speaking to a group of Indian journalists,Nasheed insisted that conspiracy to overthrow him was hatched well in advance,and that New Delhi should seek an independent probe into the crisis.