India’s cricket captain Virat Kohli tweeted Wednesday night (file)
New Delhi:
Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has joined the growing list of national celebrities and political leaders, including Interior Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar to tweet about the drive and farmers, a list generated by pop star Rihanna’s six words. tweet indicating his support for those protesting against the agricultural laws of the center.
“Let us stand united in this hour of disagreement. Farmers are an integral part of our country and I am confident that a friendly solution will be found between all parties to achieve peace and move forward together,” Kohli tweeted Wednesday night.
Kohli was not as outspoken as some: earlier, BJP’s Sambit Patra declared Rihanna (a citizen of the Caribbean island of Barbados) and Lebanese-American model Mia Khalifa to be “anti-national.”
Both Rihanna and Ms. Khalifa tweeted in support of the farmers.
Let us all be united in this hour of disagreement. Farmers are an integral part of our country and I am sure that a friendly solution will be found among all parties to achieve peace and move forward together. #IndiaTogether
– Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) February 3, 2021
Kohli’s tweet was quickly followed by one with similar wording from cricket partner Ajinkya Rahane, the vice captain of the Indian team.
Rahane posted: “There is no problem that cannot be solved if we stick together as one. Let us stand together and work to solve our internal problems.”
There is no problem that cannot be solved if we stick together as one. Let’s stick together and work to solve our internal problems #IndiaTogether
– Ajinkya Rahane (@ ajinkyarahane88) February 3, 2021
And then his cricket partner Rohit Sharma tweeted (again) with similar wording: “India has always been stronger when we are all united and finding a solution is the need of the moment. Our farmers play an important role in the welfare of our nation and I am confident that everyone will play their part to find a solution TOGETHER. “
On Tuesday night, Rihanna tweeted to her 100 million followers: “Why aren’t we talking about this #FarmersProtest?” and shared an article about the farmers’ protest on the US media CNN.
Her tweet was quickly followed by an avalanche of such messages, including one from teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg and another from Meena Harris, an American lawyer who is also the niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris.
Rihanna’s tweet also sparked furious pushback, including an abusive response from actor Kangana Ranaut, with responses from actors Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn, filmmaker Karan Johar.
There were also tweets praising Rihanna for speaking out, while noting that Indian celebrities had been keeping quiet on the tear gas issue and the lathi farmer charges.
The rejection followed a formal response from the government, a response that did not mention Rihanna but highlighted “vested interest groups trying to enforce her agenda … tried to mobilize international support against India …”
“A very small fraction of farmers in parts of India have some reservations about these reforms,” the government said, referring to a protest that has seen tens of thousands of farmers across India express concern over laws that they say, they will endanger their livelihoods.
Thousands of farmers across India are protesting the center’s new farm laws, claiming they endanger their livelihoods by allowing large corporate companies to intimidate them.
Last week, the farmers’ tractor rally through Delhi turned violent after some groups veered off course and stormed the Red Fort, killing one person and injuring hundreds of police officers.
Since then, containment measures at the center have intensified, with barbed wire fences, concrete barricades and iron bars being used to prevent farmers from advancing towards the national capital.
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