'Nasheed never sought India's help'

Herald Globe (IANS) Friday 10th February, 2012

India has denied that former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed had sought New Delhi's intervention to prevent his ouster and underlined that it has urged the new Maldivian dispensation to ensure his safety.

On the fateful morning of Feb 7, an hour before Nasheed announced his resignation on national TV, he spoke to India's High Commissioner in Male D.M. Muley and told him that he was resigning as the demonstrators had turned violent and he was facing a law and order problem, government sources close to the developments in the Maldives said here.

There was no mention of any use of force to make him resign at that point or any talk of coup, the sources added.

In fact, on the night of Feb 6 also, Nasheed spoke to the Indian high commissioner and talked about the political situation but again there was no plea for India's help or hint of any forcible seizure of power even when India offered to help, the sources said, adding that he had said he would revert if he needed help.

The clarification came against the backdrop of reports quoting Nasheed's supporters as saying that India's help was sought but New Delhi did not respond.

India is also sceptical about the change of guard in Male Feb 7 being described as a coup, but feels it was a succession within the ambit of the Maldivian constitution.

With a Maldivian court issuing arrest warrant for Nasheed, which the new government has not acted on, India has urged the new president to ensure that Nasheed is not arrested or harmed in any way and is proactively trying to ensure a peaceful transition of power in the island nation. "Nasheed is safe. We have been assured that he will not be harmed," the sources said.

India views the current crisis in the Maldives as an internal affair of that country, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sending M. Ganpathi, secretary (West) in the external affairs ministry as his special envoy to help mediate a political settlement in that country.