Indian cine stars such as Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and S༺hraddha Kapoor along with othe𒊎r prominent personalities on Sunday appealed to fans to "explore Indian islands" and coastal destinations, amid row over disparaging remarks by Maldivian ministers after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lakshadweep.
In social media posts, Kumar, cricketer Hardik Pandya and veteran player Venkatesh Prasad also urged people to support the Indian tourism sector as they condemned the comments by Maldivian ministers on X that have triggered a row with Internet users pitting Lakshadweep and Maldives as rival tourist destinations.
The Maldivian government on Sunday dist🍸anced itsꦰelf from "derogatory remarks on social media platforms against foreign leaders and high-ranking individuals".
In an X post, Salman Khan said it was "cool" to see Modi enjoy the clean and 𝓡stunning beaches of Lakshadweep.
"... and the best part is that yeh hamare India mein hain," the🍌 "Tiger 3" star wrote.
Tiger Shroff said the Lakshadweep islands had captured h🌞is heart.
"The rich culture, tranquil beaches, and the genuine warmth of its people create an enchanting allure. Join me in celebrating the inclusivity and unparalleled beauty of these islands💦 - a treasure trove waiting for us to explore!" he posted.
Shraddha Kapoor and other stars shared posts on X using the hashtags 'Explore India💫n Islands' and 'Lakshadweep'.
"All these images and memes making me super FOMO now. Lakshadweep has such pristine be𝄹aches and coastlines, thriving local culture, I'm on the verge of booking an impulse chhutti. This year, why not #ExploreIndianIslands (sic)" Shrad🎃dha shared on X.
Akshay Kumar, who rang in the New Year in the Maldives with his family, condemned the "hateful and racist" remarks🌟 by prominent public figures from the Maldives.
"Surprised that they are doing this to a country that sends them the maximum num♛ber of tourists... We are good to our neighbours but why should༒ we tolerate such unprovoked hate?
"I've visited the Maldives many times and always praised it, but dignity first. Let us decide to #ExploreIndianIslands and support our own tourism," the actor wrote on the microblogging s💦ite.
Speaking in the same vein, former cricketer Venkatesh Prasad posted, "A deputy minister using such language f🎃or our country. Maldives 🌜is a largely poor country largely dependent on upmarket tourism with over 15% tourists from India."
"India has very many unexplored beautiful coastal towns, and this is a great opportunity to develop many of them into tourist destinations," he added💟 in his X post.
Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar said he rang in his 50th birthday in Sindhudurg and the coastal town in Maharashtra offered everything "we wanted, 🐽and more".
"Gorgeous lo𒆙cations combined with wonderful hospitality left us with a treasure trove of memories. India is blessed with beautiful coastlines and pristine islands. With our 'Atithi Devo Bhava' philosophy, we have so much to explore, so many memories waiting to be created," Tendulkar added.
Pandya said it is "𝐆extremely sad" to see what's being said about India.
"With its gorgeous marine li𝐆fe, beautiful beaches, Lakshadweep is the perfect get away spot and surely a must visit for me for my next holiday," he added in his X post.
Fil𝔉mmaker Madhur Bhandarkar and actors John Abraham, Kangana Ranaut, and Randeep Hooda were also among some of the Indian film personalities to promote Lakshadweep through social media.
Ranautꩲ called Lakshadweep an "almost𒅌 untouched, unexplored and unexploited natural island".
Hooda, who shot his upcoming film "Veer Savarkar" in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, said he was awed by the pristine beautওy and the rich history of the region.
"Incredible India is not just a tag, our beau💝tiful country has🧸 some of the most incredible and stunning locales and #Lakshadweep is an example of it- a heaven like place in India itself! Can't wait to explore this beautiful Indian island," Kartik Aaryan wrote on X.
"With the amazing In﷽dian hospitality, the idea of 'Atithi Devo Bhava' and a vast marine life to explore. Lakshadweep is the place to go," said Abraham.
Modi wa🐼s in Lakshadꦐweep on January 2 and 3 to inaugurate several projects.
The prime minister, who also went snorkelling🦹 to explore undersea life, posted pictures of his undersea exploration on X and early morning walks on the pristine beaches.
"For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep h✅as to be on your list. During my stay, I also tried snorkelling - what an exhilarating experience it was," he wrote.
