Inspired by his patriotic sentiments, singer Ankit Tiwari recently cancelled his family trip to the Maldives amid the #BoycottMaldives row. He took to X to share the change of plans, mentioning, “My wife, daughter, and I were about to visit the Maldives, but we found a better and unexplored island in our very own country, Lakshadweep Island.”

Explaining the decision, Tiwari tells us that the trip was initially planned for February but, upon learning about the Maldives controversy, he decided to switch the destination: “Why should we visit a place where people, especially ministers, make such hateful comments about our PM and our country? Is it really worth it? So, my wife and I dropped the plan immediately.”

The singer adds, “Meanwhile, we also saw our PM Modi’s amazing pictures of snorkelling and taking a walk by the beach at the beautiful Lakshadweep island, and we immediately changed our plan.”

Addressing the challenges of taking a stance as a public figure on political issues, the singer admits that it is indeed difficult. But it also highlights the responsibility that comes with a wide-reaching audience. “When you (as a public figure) say something, it’s not just heard by 100 or 200 people; it’s heard by the entire nation. This time, I never questioned whether I was doing the right thing; I knew I was promoting Indian tourism,” he shares.