Rihanna and Greta immediate an MEA outburst — and a hashtag firestorm

In a extremely uncommon transfer that has raised eyebrows, the federal government Wednesday slammed “celebrities and others” for his or her feedback in help of farmer protests, calling them “neither accurate nor responsible”.
This got here after pop icon Rihanna, teenage local weather activist Greta Thunberg and lawyer-author Meena Harris, niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris, spoke out on the farmer protests.
The Ministry of External Affairs, in an official assertion, stated: “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 temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is neither accurate nor responsible.”
Incidentally, the MEA’s assertion had two social media hashtags: “#IndiaTogether” and “#IndiaAgainstPropaganda”.
Responding to the MEA assertion and hashtags, Union Home Minister Amit Shah too weighed in and took to Twitter, saying: “No propaganda can deter India’s unity! No propaganda can stop India to attain new heights! Propaganda cannot decide India’s fate only ‘Progress’ can. India stands united and together to achieve progress.”
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar additionally joined in: “Motivated campaigns targeting India will never succeed. We have the self confidence today to hold our own. This India will push back.”

Motivated campaigns concentrating on India won’t ever succeed. We have the self esteem at the moment to carry our personal. This India will push again. #IndiaCollectively #IndiaIn opposition toPropaganda
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 3, 2021
Both Shah and Jaishankar tweeted with hashtags #IndiaCollectively and #IndiaIn opposition toPropaganda. They had been joined by a spread of celebrities from Lata Mangeshkar to Sachin Tendulkar, Ajay Devgn to Virat Kohli.
The MEA assertion and Jaishankar’s tweet drew a pointy response from Congress chief and former Union Minister P Chidambaram who known as the federal government’s response “puerile”.

It is sweet that Rihanna and Greta Thunberg can get up the MEA.
Come on MEA, when will you notice that folks involved with problems with human rights and livelihoods don’t acknowledge nationwide boundaries?
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) February 3, 2021
In a sequence of tweets, Chidambaram stated: “It is good that Rihanna and Greta Thunberg can wake up the MEA. Come on MEA, when will you realize that people concerned with issues of human rights and livelihoods do not recognize national boundaries? Why did MEA comment on the military coup in Myanmar? Why is it “deeply concerning” to the MEA? Why does MEA recurrently touch upon points which might be “internal” to Sri Lanka and Nepal? Why did the PM of India touch upon the assault on the Capitol constructing in Washington by the Trump storm troopers? It is unhappy that somebody erudite and worldly sensible like Mr S Jaishankar ought to enable such puerile reactions by the MEA.”
As a long-standing norm, the federal government, particularly the Ministry of External Affairs, solely reacts to statements by worldwide and multilateral organisations, international governments, that too from Foreign Ministries, Foreign Ministers, heads of States (Presidents) and heads of governments (Prime Ministers).
In latest years, it has began responding to feedback from Members of Parliament and political leaders of different nations. The Ministry doesn’t normally reply to personal people and their feedback.
This time, that exception was made after two main social media influencers, Rihanna and Thunberg, tagged a CNN report and commented on the farmer protests.
Rihanna, who has over 100 million followers on Twitter, took to the microblogging website and shared a CNN report headlined, “India cuts internet around New Delhi as protesting farmers clash with police”.
“Why aren’t we talking about this? #FarmersProtest,” Rihanna wrote.
Her tweet gained prompt traction on Twitter, with greater than 2.7 lakh retweets and greater than 6 lakh likes inside 24 hours.
She had additionally tweeted on Myanmar Tuesday. “My prayers are with you #myanmar!”, and had quote-tweeted Human Rights Watch, which stated that the state of affairs in Myanmar required an pressing response from the worldwide neighborhood.
Climate activist Thunberg additionally shared the CNN report on farmer protests, however was extra specific in her help. “We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India,” she wrote.
Kamala Harris’ niece Meena Harris stated everybody ought to be “outraged by India’s internet shutdowns and paramilitary violence against farmer protesters”. She stated that “as we speak, the most populous democracy is under assault”.
Defending the farm legal guidelines, the MEA, in its assertion, gave a full account of the method: “The Parliament of India, after a full debate and discussion, passed reformist legislation relating to the agricultural sector. These reforms give expanded market access and provide greater flexibility to farmers. They also pave the way for economically and ecologically sustainable farming.”
It stated “a very small section of farmers in parts of India have some reservations about these reforms”.
“Respecting the sentiments of the protestors, the Government of India has initiated a series of talks with their representatives. Union Ministers have been part of the negotiations, and eleven rounds of talks have already been held. The Government has even offered to keep the laws on hold, an offer iterated by no less than the Prime Minister of India,” the MEA stated.
“Yet, it is unfortunate to see vested interest groups trying to enforce their agenda on these protests, and derail them. This was egregiously witnessed on January 26, India’s Republic Day. A cherished national commemoration, the anniversary of the inauguration of the Constitution of India, was besmirched, and violence and vandalism took place in the Indian capital,” it stated.
“Some of these vested interest groups have also tried to mobilise international support against India. Instigated by such fringe elements, Mahatma Gandhi statues have been desecrated in parts of the world. This is extremely disturbing for India and for civilised society everywhere,” it stated, referring to statues being vandalised within the US lately.
The MEA stated Indian police forces have dealt with these protests with utmost restraint. “It may be noted that hundreds of men and women serving in the police have been physically attacked, and in some cases stabbed and seriously wounded,” it stated.
“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,” it stated.
On the MEA issuing an official assertion on tweets by non-public people, former diplomat Vivek Katju, who retired as Secretary within the Ministry of External Affairs, stated: “This marks a new page for our external publicity efforts to counter criticism. The question is if it will be effective to reach the followers of those who have tweeted.”
Last December, days after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau got here out in help of the protesting farmers, India summoned the Canadian envoy and warned that such “actions”, in the event that they continued, would have a “seriously damaging impact” on bilateral ties.
While Trudeau was the primary head of a rustic to talk out on the protests, he was not the one international politician to take action. At least a dozen members of parliament from the UK, Australia, Canada and a Republican Party functionary from the US additionally voiced help for the farmers.