EaseMyTrip, a Delhi-based travel portal, has suspended all Maldives flight booking on its website amid a row over insulting remarks by some now-suspended Maldivian ministers after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lakshadweep.
Co-founder of EaseMyTrip, Prashant Pitti, also requested other airlines to make a direct connectivity to Lakshadweep from three cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.
“Around 3 lakh people annually used to travel to Maldives, they can no longer avail this facility on EaseMyTrip,” Prashant Pitti said.
“Our company is entirely homegrown and made in India. Amid the row over Maldives ministers’ post on PM Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep, we have decided that we will not accept any bookings for Maldives…We want Ayodhya and Lakshadweep to turn out as international destinations,” he added.
Pitti further said national interest was greater than personal interest and EaseMyTrip would soon offer more holiday packages for Lakshadweep.
“We (EaseMyTrip) have decided not to serve them anymore. Nationalism is greater than any personal interest,” Moneycontrol quoted Pitti as saying.
“Prime Minister Modi visited Lakshadweep for its promotion. He has never spoken against Maldives and always extended help to the country. As citizens of this country, we stand with our government,” he added.
Nishant Pitti, who is also co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of EaseMyTrip, stood in support of India and said, “In solidarity with our nation, @EaseMyTrip has suspended all Maldives flight bookings.”
The online travel solutions provider has also started visit Lakshadweep campaign by #ChaloLakshadweep.
Amid the escalating diplomatic row between India and the Maldives, hashtag #BoycottMaldives started trending on social media, with many Indian tourists reportedly started cancelling their scheduled vacations to the island nation.
The three deputy ministers, who have now been suspended by the Maldives government, had criticised PM Modi for his post on Lakshadweep visit, inferring that it was an attempt to project the Union territory as an alternative tourist destination to the Maldives.
With inputs from agencies
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EaseMyTrip co-founder gives calls on other platforms to stop online travel bookings to Maldives
