Amitabh Bachchan, the iconic 81-year-old actor, has joined the chorus of voices promoting Lakshadweep and the Andaman Islands as he lauds India’s self-reliance amidst the recent dispute over remarks by Maldivian ministers following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep.
Quoting Virender Sehwag’s X post, in which the former cricketer sees an opportunity for India to enhance its infrastructure and attract tourists, Bachchan echoes Sehwag’s sentiments, stating that the comments are in “the right spirit of our land.”
Expressing his admiration for Lakshadweep and Andamans, Bachchan encourages the exploration of these “astonishingly beautiful locations” and stresses on India’s self-reliance. He concludes his message with a patriotic note, “Hum Bharat hain, hum aatma-nirbhar hain, humari aatma-nirbharta par aanch mat daaliye. Jai Hind (We are India, we are self-reliant, don’t test our self-reliance. Jai Hind).”
This comes after actors Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, Shraddha Kapoor, and cricketers Sachin Tendulkar, Venkatesh Prasad, and Virender Sehwag advocated for exploring domestic islands instead of the Maldives. The government of Maldives suspended three deputy ministers for criticizing Modi’s X post, suggesting an attempt to promote Lakshadweep as an alternative tourist destination.
In the social media sphere, comic-actor Vir Das provides a light-hearted take on the matter, and producer Ektaa Kapoor expresses her intent to take her son to Lakshadweep for an adventure holiday.
As celebrities showcase their support for domestic tourism, there are reports of Indians canceling trips to the Maldives in response to the controversy. The Maldivian foreign ministry clarifies that personal views on social media do not represent the government’s position.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep on January 2 and 3 aimed at inaugurating various projects.
By PTI
