Maldives celebrates independence on 26 July every year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi can visit Maldives on 26 July. There he will take part in Maldives' Independence Day celebrations as the chief guest. This will be Prime Minister Modi's first Maldives first visit after President Mohammad Muizu took over in November 2023. For this, Mujju of Maldives invited Prime Minister Modi in the year 2024 itself. Recently, during his visit to India, Maldives Foreign Minister Abdullah Khalil again reiterated this invitation. Let us know who was a slave for 78 years and how did it get freedom without fighting any major battle?
Maldives, known for its 1192 islands, beaches, lagoon etc., was a slave of the British for 78 years. On 26 July 1965, the country gained full independence after the signing of an agreement between Maldives Prime Minister Ibrahim Nasir and Queen Elizabeth after signing an agreement between British ambassador Michael Walker.
It is a matter of 1887, when Sultan Muhammad Muinuddin II of Maldives had signed a treaty with British Governor Arthur Charles Hamilton-Gordon in Ceylon and handed over power to the British. However, this was not done without any purpose. In fact, in the last years of 1800, foreign trade in Maldives dominated India's Bora traders. Due to this, the local people of Maldives revolted against the sack traders. Since the Bora community was a major issue at that time, the British Empire intervened throughout the matter, leading to the Britain's political presence and pressure in the Maldives.
Therefore, in order to preserve the conflict of Maldives in the context of foreign policy, an agreement was reached for the year 1887, due to which Maldives became a country with British protection. However, the internal government there remained intact.
In the 1960s, Maldives' demand for independence increased.
Under this agreement, the British also assured Maldives of military security, in return for which the British monarchy had to get an annual meeting. After this agreement, the presence of the British remained in the Maldives and especially during the Second World War, established a Royal Air Force Station RAF Gain on Gain Island in Maldives. Gain Island is also a part of the islands of Maldives, including Maldives.
In the 1960s, the demand for independence of Maldives increased. Two incidents there have intensified the demand for Maldives independence. According to historian Mohammad Shatir, the revolution in the southern part of the country was crushed violently. Due to this, the then Prime Minister Ibrahim Nasir was also criticized, who became the Prime Minister of Maldives at the age of 31 in 1958 and is known for the development of the industrial area of the country. Apart from this, Bora traders were dropped from Maldives Male.
By the way, in the independence of Maldives, where many people are told, Ibrahim Nasir is considered a hero of the freedom of Maldives. Historians believe that re -uniting the country and regaining control over the country's economy from the Bora community showed that Maldives had the courage to achieve completely independence.
Historian Mohammad Shatir says that this was the period when the spirit of nationality and unity was very strong among the people of Maldives. Everyone was standing together and standing together. This made it easy for the rulers of Maldives to stand with their independence. If people were divided about this in the country, then perhaps there would not have been freedom. But if people were standing together, the Maldives government demanded independence. In view of this, the general public also started demonstrations against the British. In view of this, the British signed the agreement on 26 July 1965 and gave full independence to Maldives.
Within two months of its independence, this island became a member of the United Nations. In the year 1968, a national referendum was made on whether the Maldives should remain under the constitutional monarchy or as a democratic country. 81.23 percent of the people participating in this referendum expressed their wish that the country should be transformed into a democracy. With this, 853 year old monarchy became history in Maldives and Ibrahim Nasir was made the first President of the country.