India and the Maldives : biting the hand... ; 9 January 2024

9 January, 2024

The Maldives became independent in 1965. India has consistently helped the archipelago over many decades. In January 2024, some politicians in the Maldives made desultory remarks about Indians. The Maldives are reorienting themselves towards other countries.

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INDIA AND THE MALDIVES : BITING THE HAND… 

 

“Mother India, a solemn pledge to thee do we make,

Thy unmatch'd glory to sing, thy fame to uphold,

Come what may, be it flood or earthquake,

For, no one on thee can set a stranglehold.”

---From my poem “India (1)”, written on 22 May, 1994.

 

“But, throughout it all thy steady light hath shone,

Even unto those who at thee have hoot’d.”

(…)

“And thou giv'st and giv'st again generously to all climes,

And thou remain'st for humanity a Mother unbound'd.”

 

---From my poem “India (2)”, written on 22 May, 1994.

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                    INDIA AND THE MALDIVES : BITING THE HAND… 

 

1^st section

Mother, thou giv’st and giv’st more :

To thy own people doth thou deny plenty :

To give to faraway lands and people

Sustenance and rescue when need’d :

Bountiful mother,

Selfless mother :

How to repay thee ?...

 

2^nd

Billions of thy money thou giv’st away,

Providing a future for other people,

While thy own folks in poverty

Suffer,

Survive,

Struggle,

Stumble

And fall…

3^rd

But, such be thy heart,

Thy destiny,

That thou wilt give others

Succour,

A life,

A future,

While looking away from misery,

From suff’ring,

In thy own heartlands…

4^th

To the Maldives gave thou

The first Covid vaccines,

To save their people…

Thou gave them the life-saving vaccines

While thy own folks died from the malady !!…

They forget :

We remember…

History wilt remember…

5^th

Thou gave,

Generous mother,

Thou brought rescue,

Thou sustain’d life,

Thou sav’d myriads of their lives :

And, how do they repay thee now ?...

6^th

Today they find

Thy people smell…

What smell had the Covid vaccines thou gave,

The very medicine that sav’d them ?...

What smell had the billions of rupees

Thou gave in aid since 1965 ?...

Ah, Mother !…

A devastating dagger they dig

Into thy generous heart !...

7^th

Let them go,

Mother…

Let them go…

No foreigners, no newcomers

Can be a threat to thee,

Neither near thy shores,

Nor far off…

No bases, no fortifications

Hereabouts can vanquish thee…

 

8^th

Mother, build anew on thy own lands,

Nearby or on thy mainland.

Set up what be need’d

To protect thee more…

Newcomers here cannot touch thee…

The writing was on the wall

Since decades…

9^th

Thy very land still smells of tragedy :

Yet, wilt thou still give

Aplenty,

Even to those who revile thee…

10^th

To thy generous heart

Be dedicat’d these verses,

Mother India !...

Long live India !

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Soman Ragavan

Mauritius (Indian Ocean)

9 January, 2023

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Internet links :

(a)

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/permanent-smell-in-the-rooms-maldives-politicians-remarks-on-modis-lakshadweep-visit-sparks-boycottmaldives-trend/articleshow/106610952.cms?from=mdr  

(b)

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwja5bma3dCDAxXjX_EDHQSMBhwQFnoECCAQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindustantimes.com%2Findia-news%2Fmaldives-politicians-racist-post-against-indian-tourism-triggers-boycott-calls-101704617284440.html&usg=AOvVaw1dAgCe75eQ-TUWnU7R-td8&opi=89978449   

(c)

https://www.google.com/search?q=India+gave+first+covid+vaccines+to+the+Maldives&client=firefox-b-d&sca_

“On January 20, 2021, the Maldives became the first country to receive, as gift, 100,000 doses of India-manufactured vaccines within 96 hours of their country-wide rollout in India. This supported the Government of Maldives to undertake one of the world's fastest vaccination drives.”

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