In the rush to encourage Indian beach holidays over foreign destinations like the Maldives, several Indian celebrities, including Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, faced embarrassment on social media for posting images of Maldives, wrongly assuming them to be from Lakshadweep.
Kiren Rijiju’s post promoting Indian islands was met with criticism after followers pointed out the error, leading to the deletion of the post. Former cricketer Virendra Sehwag and actor Ranveer Singh also found themselves in a similar predicament, with Sehwag’s post containing a picture of Bora Bora island in French Polynesia.
Despite social media corrections, Sehwag chose not to delete or correct his post. The controversy prompted some humor on social media, with comedian Vir Das highlighting the pressure on celebrities vacationing in the Maldives, who were now hesitant to acknowledge their visit due to the ongoing row.
The incident reflects a broader trend where Indian personalities are advocating for domestic destinations amid a wave of backlash against visits to the Maldives. The promotion of Lakshadweep received attention, although some celebrities inadvertently shared images from other international locations.
