Ex-Home Minister Umar Naseer says the Indian government wants to build a military base in Uthuruthilafalhu(UTF)
He revealed that at an information session organized by the political movement he himself is spearheading, Dhivehi National Action (DNA).
Umar said that the actual reason why the Indian government wanted to make an agreement about the Uthuruthilafalhu was to build an Indian base in the area but only the current government can answer about how much of the Indian conditions were integrated into the agreement that was signed earlier this year.
He also said the document he had leaked yesterday was the document the Indian government had sent to the Maldives for review and that no changes had been brought to this document.
The former Minister challenged the government to publicize the signed document before continuing to label the leaked document as a fake document.
He said his main concern with the agreement was about the component that called for an Indian base here in the Maldives while Indian soldiers were already stationed in the country.
Speaking more on the issue, Umar said that UTF is a small part of the Indian military activity in the Maldives. He noted that the public was concerned about the Indian helicopters sent to Addu and the Police Academy now under construction there with Indian help as the public is unsure of how it would be used by the Indian government.
Umar further said that Indian soldiers were now stationed in Laamu Atoll as well as in Haa Dhaalu Hanimaadhoo with both atolls hosting Indian-gifted military air crafts. He added that now the Indian government is trying to deploy its soldiers to UTF
His accusations follow a presser by the Council of Generals of Maldives National Defence Force in which they were adamant that the leaked document was fake and not even a draft of the signed agreement.
