MP for Nolhivaram constituency, Hussain Areef held a silent protest in Dharubaaruge on Monday morning, during the inaugural session of Parliament 2017, where President Abdulla Yameen gave his annual address.

Areef, who represent Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) decided to hold a lone, silent protest against corruption, while blind-folded, calling for people's rights and the media's rights, during the opening session of Parliament on Monday.

As a stand against President Yameen, his government and its decisions, members of the largest opposition party, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had boycotted Monday's session.

Speaking to RaajjeMV, Areef saif that he was attacked by supporters of President Yameen's faction of the divided Progressive Party of Maldives, MPs Ibrahim Falah and Ali Arif, who snatched the board he was carrying, as well as his blind-fold and the tape over his mouth,

"They did this against my will," said MP Areef.

MP called the unprovoked attack "a cowardly act," adding that the reason the inaugural session was held in Dharubaaruge was because President Yameen was too cowardly to go to the Parliament room.

"This was a PA [People's Alliance] gathering held in the name of a parliament session," added Arif

While MDA is the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)'s coalition partner, its members have also taken sides in the fight between President Yameen and his half-brother and PPM's leader, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. The party has been divided since June 2016.