Travel platform MakeMyTrip is the latest to have been caught unwittingly in India's diplomatic row with Maldives. The company has been facing boycott threats on X after some social media users accused it of not supporting India's nationalistic causes.
Ever since PM Narendra Modi promoted his Lakshadweep visit with a series of photographs on his social media, the internet has seen a renewed interest in India's smallest union territory. It has also set off a geopolitical row between India and Maldives after some Maldivian ministers took distasteful potshots at the PM and Indians at large.
X has been buzzing with calls to "boycott Maldives" with even Bollywood stars backing the PM's initiative to promote Lakshadweep. Travel platform EaseMyTrip took a firm stand against Maldives by suspending all flights to the island nation after the row erupted between the two countries.
Co-Founder Nishant Pitti tweeted: "In solidarity with our nation, @EaseMyTrip has suspended all Maldives flight bookings. #TravelUpdate #SupportingNation."
Amid the brouhaha, trolls have been targetting MakeMyTrip since no such move has been made by the travel platform. Some have even accused the platform of being a China-affiliated company with Chinese executives on its board.
MakeMyTrip has yet to release a statement on the fiasco; however, it has put out social media posts in solidarity with the government's efforts to promote Indian beaches.
The company has not only acknowledged a 3400% increase in on-platform searches on Lakshadweep but also launched a "Beaches of India" campaign offering discounts to Indian travellers to explore the country's beaches.