As the ongoing farmers’ agitation takes a greater shape, it’s gradually becoming clear that strategies rolled out in its containment have not only failed miserably but are also proving to be major causes of international reprimand for India. First it was the ‘tire out and drive away’ strategy through an endless round of talks. This was followed by others such as blocking of internet, water and electricity supply and now the strategies to counter the tweets of international celebrities who condemned the measures taken by the Indian government to suppress the agitation seem to be boomeranging. Not only these tweets have attracted more followers, with further re-tweets the issue has now taken a global stature paving the path for more international criticism. Unsurprisingly, these social media comments have been construed by the Central government as ‘propaganda’ against the country which defies logic.
Leading the tweet war are the two international heavyweight celebrities, pop icon Rihanna and teen climate activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greta Thunberg. Both have stood in solidarity with the protesting farmers and taken strong exception to snapping off the internet as a tool of thwarting protest. MEA has been blazing fast to jump into action and as a justification of the farms laws and their ‘efficacies’, launched a counter social media campaign which comprised a lengthy political statement accompanied by two hashtags: ‘IndiaTogether’ and ‘’IndiaAgainstPropaganda’ wherein the manoeuvre was termed an irresponsible attempt to sensationalise the issue. How loyalty matters in today’s India is apparent from the fact that a battery of movie actors and cricketers, many of whom remained silent when farmers died due to cold posted tweets with the above two hashtags appealing people to stand united and not get swayed away by ‘propaganda’. However, an opposite result can be noticed since these tweets have seen a more inflated followership coupled with lakhs of re-tweets, making the issue truly international. Interestingly, in her second tweet that came Thursday evening, Thunberg has affirmed she will continue to extend her support to the peaceful protests and hate and threat matter little to her. In another equally interesting development the Biden-led US regime has remarked that while in general it welcomes steps that would improve the efficiency of India’s markets and attract greater investment also added that “peaceful protests and unhindered access to the internet are a hallmark of thriving democracy.” No deep thinking is required to realise that the latter, indirectly is a criticism indeed.
Despite successive efforts to label the protest a fallout of international conspiracy hatched overseas, its shine has hardly been eroded. Ironically, however active the efforts are on to project it as an internal matter, it’s really international now. After the CAA-NRC episode, it’s yet another cause for an international disrepute for the nation. 

---

Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

<< Back to News List