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Maldivian Prez comes under attack from aide of ousted leader

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Press Trust of India New Delhi

Former Maldivian Minister Ibrahim Hussain Zaki also advocated the need for seeking "military help" from India to "defuse" the current situation in the island country.

"Waheed Hasan, the President of Maldives, is playing India against China, which is not in the interest of the region and SAARC. Adhaalath party (part of the current coalition) is the most extreme fundamentalist party in Maldives," Zaki told a press conference here.

However, he did not elaborate further.

Asked whether Maldives should seek military help from India, he said: "If we were in the government, we definitely would have done it by now.... If Islamic fundamentalism takes over the country, my best friend (India) has to be on the ground."

 

The top aide of Nasheed said he was visiting India to apprise leaders here of the current situation, including the issue of rising Islamic fundamentalism around the region.

On threat to Indian firm GMR, which is building a new terminal of the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in Male, by Adhaalath party, he said his party would do everything to make sure that such a situation does not arise.

"I would give my life to protect GMR airport and if still they (the party) become successful then India will be responsible for it," he said.

Zaki was among the top leaders of ousted President Mohamed Nasheed's party MDP who were arrested in the Maldivian capital city of Male on the charge of alcohol consumption last week.

However, MDP has alleged that the arrests were "politically motivated".

  

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First Published: Nov 22 2012 | 5:25 PM IST

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