Nasheed: Maldives was liberated with India's participation

Former President and Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed said on Wednesday that the Maldives received assistance from India to gain independence from the British.

Speaking about the emergency motion submitted to the parliament today against the opposition's "India Out" movement, Nasheed said the Maldives was managed by the colonial government in Sri Lanka when India gained independence in 1947.

Nasheed said that there must have been a reason that Maldives did not gain independence while two neighboring countries gained freedom that year. The two countries are India and Pakistan.

"I am aware that Ibrahim Shihab met with then Prime Minister of India Neheru and that the Maldives was designated as a separate independent state after 1968 with a lot of Indian participation," said Nasheed.

However the agreement to gain full political independence from the UK was signed on July 26, 1965, three years prior to what Nasheed stated.

The agreement for the independence of the Maldives was signed by Former President Ibrahim Nasir.

Nasheed said India's assistance was given to gain Maldives' independence. No members responded to Nasheed's remarks.