Reacting to the international celebrities’ tweets in light of the farmer protests in a detailed response The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a detailed statement on Wednesday said, “it is unfortunate to see vested interest groups trying to enforce their agenda on these protests, and derail them.”
The MEA response came after international pop singer Rihanna and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg extended support to the farmers’ protest. Soon after Rihanna tweeted about the protest in India, several other prominent international celebrities and activists have also extended their support to the farmer-led movement against the Centre’s contentious new farm laws. “Why aren’t we talking about this?!,” Rihanna tweeted on Tuesday, along with the hashtag ‘#FarmersProtest’.
The statement said that some of the vested interest groups also tried to mobilise international support against India while adding that, Mahatma Gandhi statues were desecrated in parts of the world after being instigated by such fringe elements. “This is extremely disturbing for India and for civilised society everywhere.”
The MEA also explained that only after a “full debate and discussion” was the reformist legislation regarding the agricultural sector passed. Defending the three contentious farm laws, the MEA said the reforms intend to give expanded market access and provide greater flexibility to farmers. “They also pave the way for economically and ecologically sustainable farming,” the MEA statement read.
Asserting that only a very small section of farmers have some reservations regarding the reforms, it said, the Government of India has “initiated a series of talks with their representatives respecting the sentiments of the protestors.”
Union Ministers have been part of the negotiations, and eleven rounds of talks have already been held. The MEA, in its statement, further emphasised 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 also urged the concerned foreign entities to ascertain facts and gain a proper understanding of the issues before making any comment. “The temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is neither accurate nor responsible,” the statement concluded.