HT Digital,
Male, Jan 28: A special session in the Maldives Parliament on Sunday turned chaotic as lawmakers from the People’s National Congress (PNC), Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), and the Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) came to blows.
The session was convened to seek approval for President Mohamed Muizzu’s cabinet ministers. Videos circulating online showed MPs exchanging kicks and blows, with some members being pulled down from the podium.
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Adhadhu, a local online news outlet, reported that ruling alliance MPs barred Opposition MPs from entering the chambers after the MDP refused to approve four members of the ruling party for Muizzu’s cabinet.
The PNC and PPM criticised the MDP’s move as an obstruction of services and demanded the Speaker’s resignation. Chief advisor to Muizzu and PNC chairperson Abdul Raheem Abdullah defended the ministers’ right to be reappointed and called the refusal to approve them an ‘irresponsible’ move.
Videos from inside Parliament showed MPs tackling each other and pulling a parliamentarian’s hair. The same parliamentarian was later seen blowing a trumpet-like instrument to disrupt the Speaker. Some MDP MPs accused other parliamentarians of damaging property in the House during the scuffle.
