Published: Feb 03, 2021, 07:58 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 03, 2021, 07:58 PM (IST)
Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has responded urging his fellow India citizens to remain ‘united as a nation’ after pop star Rihanna drew global attention following her tweet in support of the ongoing farmers’ protest in the country. The agitation has been going on for over two months now with farmers camped around Delhi borders demanding the complete rollback of farm reform laws.
“India’s sovereignty cannot be compromised. External forces can be spectators but not participants. Indians know India and should decide for India. Let’s remain united as a nation. #IndiaTogether #IndiaAgainstPropaganda,” Tendulkar tweeted on Wednesday evening.
India’s sovereignty cannot be compromised. External forces can be spectators but not participants.
Indians know India and should decide for India. Let’s remain united as a nation.#IndiaTogether #IndiaAgainstPropaganda
Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) February 3, 2021
Tendulkar is among several high-profile public figures to have responded after Rihanna shared a report on her twitter timeline about internet being blocked around New Delhi with famers clashing with police. She wrote, “why aren’t we talking about this?! #FarmersProtest” alongside the link of the CNN article.
Reacting to the tweet, former India spinner Pragyan Ojha asked the singer to not poke nose in “our internal matters!”. “My country is proud of our farmers and knows how important they are, I trust it will be addressed soon. We don’t need an outsider poking her nose in our internal matters!” Ojha replied to the tweet.
The Minister of External Affairs has slammed the individuals for their comments on the farmers’ protest in a detailed statement saying, it’s “unfortunate to see vested interest groups trying to enforce their agenda on these protests, and derail them.”
MEA further said that the Parliament of India passed the reforms only after “full debate and discussion”.
“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 provided greater flexibility to farmers. They also pave the way for economically and ecologically sustainable farming,” the statement said.
“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.
