EaseMyTrip Suspends Flight Bookings to Maldives Over Anti-PM Modi Posts, Backs ‘Chalo Lakshadweep’

Amid the ongoing boycott Maldives campaign online, Indian travel company EaseMyTrip in a significant move decided to suspend all Maldives flight bookings following the derogatory remarks made by ministers, now suspended, against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent visit to Lakshadweep.

Showcasing his support of the #ChaloLakshwadeep campaign, Nishant Pitti, co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of EaseMyTrip took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “In solidarity with our nation, @EaseMyTrip has suspended all Maldives flight bookings.”

EaseMyTrip, headquartered in New Delhi, was founded in 2008 by Nishant Pitti, Rikant Pitti and Prashant Pitti.

Speaking on the matter, co-founder of EaseMyTrip, Prashant Pitti said, “Our company is entirely homegrown and made in India. Amid the row over Maldives MP’s 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.”

Prashant on January 4 in a social media post on X said that the beaches of the Indian island are as good as that of Maldives or Seychelles and keeping that in view the EaseMyTrip will plan special-offers to promote the destination.

“Water & beaches of Lakshadweep are as good as Maldives/Seychelles. We at @EaseMyTrip will come up with crazy special-offers to promote this pristine destination that our PM Narendra Modi has recently visited!” Prashant Pitti wrote.

Why #BycottMaldives Is Trending?

The #BycottMaldives campaign started trending on social media after a minister and several leaders of Maldives used derogatory words against PM Modi and accused India of shifting focus from the island country by promoting Lakshadweep as another tourist spot.

The row escalated when several Indian tourists reportedly started cancelling their scheduled vacations to the island nation.

The row erupted after PM Modi recently visited the country’s smallest Union Territory, Lakshadweep, and posted some amazing pictures on his social media platform. The Prime Minister’s visit was, however, perceived as a move to promote tourism to the archipelago.

Following the backlash for the derogatory social media posts against Prime Minister Narendra Modi with India strongly raising the matter with Male, the Maldivian government on Sunday suspended three deputy ministers for their derogatory social media posts.

The three deputy ministers criticised PM Modi for his post on his Lakshadweep visit, stating that he was an attempting to project the union territory as an alternative to Maldives.