When international pop sensation Rihanna extended her support to the ongoing farmers’ protest in India, it created headlines worldwide. Soon Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and US Vice President Kamala Harris’ niece Meena Harris too joined the list of foreign celebrities who came out in support of farmers against the Centre’s new farm laws. Following this, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reacted sharply, reminding these celebrities that it was India’s Parliament that had passed the reformist legislation relating to the agricultural sector and noted that some of the vested interest groups tried to mobilise international support against India.
Pop star Rihanna tweeted, “Why aren’t we talking about this?!” #FarmersProtest. “We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India,” Greta Thunberg tweeted.
Meena Harris said: “It’s no coincidence that the world’s oldest democracy was attacked not even a month ago, and as we speak, the most populous democracy is under assault. This is related. We all should be outraged by India’s internet shutdowns and paramilitary violence against farmer protesters,” she tweeted.
Lebanese-American former pornographic actress Mia Khalifa also joined the bandwagon by posting a picture of Indian women protesters with a comment, “What in the human rights violations is going on?! They cut the internet around New Delhi?! #FarmersProtest”
Reacting strongly to such comments, the MEA said that the reformist legislation relating to the agricultural sector was passed by Parliament. “We would like to emphasise that these protests must be seen in the context of India’s democratic ethos and polity, and the efforts of the government and the concerned farmer groups to resolve the impasse,” the MEA statement said.
Asserting that “before rushing to comment on such matters, we would urge that the facts be ascertained, and a proper understanding of the issues at hand be undertaken”, the MEA said that the “temptation of sensationalist” social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is “neither accurate nor responsible”.
Several Bollywood celebrities too jumped in support of the government. Actress Kangana Ranaut responded to Rihanna’s tweet, “No one is talking about it because they are not farmers; they are terrorists who are trying to divide India, so that China can take over our vulnerable broken nation and make it a Chinese colony much like USA… Sit down you fool, we are not selling our nation like you dummies.”
Actor Akshay Kumar took to Twitter to write, “Farmers constitute an extremely important part of our country. And the efforts being undertaken to resolve their issues are evident. Let’s support an amicable resolution, rather than paying attention to anyone creating differences. #IndiaTogether #IndiaAgainstPropaganda.”
Actor Suneil Shetty tweeted, “We must always take a comprehensive view of things, as there is nothing more dangerous than half truth. #IndiaTogether #IndiaAgainstPropaganda.”
Ajay Devgn too came out in the government’s support, requesting everyone not to “fall for any false propaganda against India or Indian policies”.
There were, however, a few celebrities who welcomed the tweets and reactions of foreign celebrities. Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh supported Rihanna for her tweet by posting a picture of hers on his Instagram story. Actress Richa Chadha also reacted to Rihanna’s tweet, with a heart emoji on her tweet.
Interestingly, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg shared a toolkit document for the ongoing farmers’ protest against new farm laws. The 6-page document shared by Greta Thunberg seems to have been in circulation since early January as it includes plans to intensify the protests on January 26, on the occasion of Republic Day, when violence broke out on the streets of the national capital. The document seeks ‘on-ground action’ by exhorting people across the globe to protest outside the closest Indian embassy in their region and share pictures of the same. The climate activist later deleted the tweet from her Twitter handle.
With inputs from agencies