Ignore Foreign Celebrities' Tweets, Resume Dialogue With Farmers
By A Special Correspondent
First publised on 2021-02-03 10:36:28
About the Author
The Centre has come out aggressively against the support some foreign celebrities, including pop singer Rihanna, have shown for the agitating farmers. It has issued a statement saying "vested interest groups" are imposing their agenda on the farmers stir and also said that "we urge that facts be ascertained, and a proper understanding of the issues at hand be ascertained".
One feels that the government is unduly agitated on the issue. Liberals throughout the world often seize upon live and burning issues across the planet and comment on them. Indian celebrities too used to comment on the idiosyncrasies of former US President Donald Trump in a critical way. They also comment on issues around the world. There is no question of vested interest. It is just that their values make them protest what they find objectionable.
The government was right when it protested against Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's remarks. That was a head of a foreign government commenting on what was basically India's internal matter. But it cannot protest against what private citizens of other countries, even if they are celebrities, have to say on the matter. It does not matter to these citizens whether the laws were passed legally in India or whether they will better the lot of Indian farmers. What matters to them is that the farmers are protesting against the might of the Indian state and the state is trying to subjugate them with all the force at its disposal. They see a classic David versus Goliath fight here and they will always support the underdog.
The government is attaching undue importance to such tweets and must ignore them. It must pursue the path of dialogue and ensure that those who took part in the mayhem and sacrilege in Delhi are brought to book fast. It must not indulge in vendetta against the farmers. With the Parliament in session and a consensus in the Rajya Sabha already sealed to discuss the farm laws, the government must focus on achieving a broad consensus over the laws and resume the dialogue with the farmers.
