‘Puerile’: Oppn Slams Govt Response to Global Support for Farmers
‘When will you realise that people concerned with human rights don’t recognise national boundaries?’: Chidambaram.
Congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidamabaram took to Twitter on Wednesday, 3 February, to acknowledge that it was good that Rihanna and Greta Thunberg’s tweets about the farmer’s protests could “wake up” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
“Come on MEA, when will you realise that people concerned with issues of human rights and livelihoods do not recognise national boundaries?” the former finance minister wrote in a tweet.
Singer-actor Rihanna on Tuesday had taken to Twitter to share a story by news outlet CNN on the internet blockade imposed around Delhi amid farmers’ protest against the Centre’s new farm laws. She had written, “Why aren’t we talking about this?!” Soon after her tweet, climate activist Greta Thunberg also expressed her support to the farmers on the social media platform.
On Wednesday, the Centre slammed the comments made by foreign individuals and entities on the farmers' protests in India, saying, "The temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is neither accurate nor responsible."
‘Embarrassing’
Home Minister Amit Shah, meanwhile, tweeted that, “No propaganda can deter India’s unity!” and added that “India stands united and together to achieve progress.”
The government also found support for its stand from several other quarters in India, with celebrities such as Akshay Kumar, Karan Johar, Ajay Devgn, Anupam Kher, Ekta Kapoor, and Suniel Shetty posting similar tweets all within minutes of each other with the same hashtag. Retired Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar also urged people not to fall for false propaganda against India.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said it was "embarrassing" for the Indian government to get Indian celebrities to react to Western ones. "The damage done to India's global image by GoI's (Government of India) obduracy and undemocratic behaviour can't be remedied by a cricketer's tweets. Withdraw the farm laws and discuss solutions with farmers and you'll get #IndiaTogether," Tharoor tweeted.
'Puerile Reactions'
In his series of tweets, Chidambaram further questioned the ministry, asking why they commented on the military coup in Myanmar and highlighted that the MEA regularly comments on issues that are “internal” to Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Comparing Prime Minister’s Narendra Modi stance on the US Capitol Hill siege, he asked further, “Why did the PM of India comment on the assault on the Capitol building in Washington by the Trump storm troopers? It is sad that someone erudite and worldly wise like Mr S Jaishankar should allow such puerile reactions by the MEA?”
On the other hand, party leader Rahul Gandhi had called the farmers’ protests an “internal matter” at a press conference earlier on Wednesday.
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