MDP should go to Supreme Court if they claim the government is not constitutional: PPM

The Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) has called on Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to go to the Supreme Court to establish their claim that the current government is “an unconstitutional government of rebels”.

PPM said that the matter cannot be determined unilaterally by MDP, as the legal authority to do so remains with the Supreme Court of the Maldives.

Speaking at a Press Conference held today at PPM Office, Spokesperson Ahmed Mahloof said that “MDP should, instead of determining on their own that the government is a rebellious and unconstitutional government, should go to the Supreme Court to establish that claim”.

Mahloof, who is MP for Galolhu Dhekunu Constituency, said that only the few people flocked under MDP flag see the government as rebellious and unconstitutional. Mahloof said that the whole nation, except a minority that belongs to MDP, accept the current government under the leadership of Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik to be the lawful and constitutional government of the country.

Mahloof highlighted the point that the Constitution of the Maldives clearly states that the Deputy President has a duty to take over presidency in case of the President’s resignation. “How can Dr. Waheed’s government be unconstitutional, when he took the oath of office in front of the Speaker of the People’s Majlis, and the Chief Justice of the country?”, asked Mahloof.

Mahloof responded to MDP’s claims that this government “is arresting MDP activists and hurting them”, by saying that such acts were actually committed by MDP leader Nasheed’s government. “I was one of the many who suffered at their hands”, said Mahloof. “I saw Nasheed’s government injure people by breaking their teeth, heads, and so on”, he added.

Mahloof said that MDP “is lying when they say that the Government is arresting political opponents”. He also said that those who were arrested during MDP’s recent protests not arrested because of their protesting. He said that anyone who was arrested was taken into custody for conducting unlawful acts, hurting the police and causing damage to private and public property during the protests.

Mahloof also responded to MDP’s claims that the Criminal Court “treated MDP activists with discrimination when the police requested them to be kept in custody for investigations”.

“Even during the administration of Nasheed, protesters were sometimes let into custody by the Court, and it is nothing new”, said Mahloof.