The Delhi Police has filed an FIR against teen climate activist Greta Thunberg for her tweet on farmers’ protest on Thursday. According to reports, the Delhi Police has filed charges under different sections of the Indian Penal Code. In her tweet, Greta said that she stands in solidarity with the farmers’ protest in India.
Meanwhile, On Thursday, social media giant Twitter removed some tweets of actress Kangana Ranaut for violating the company’s rules. “We have taken action on Tweets that were in violation of Twitter Rules in line with our range of enforcement options,” a Twitter spokesperson told news agencies. Reportedly, the tweets were against the farmers’ protest and they are shown as “no longer available” on Kangana’s Twitter handle.
Reports suggest that one of the removed tweets, Kangana called the farmers “terrorist” when commenting on Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma’s #IndiaTogether tweet. Sharma wrote on his handle, “India has always been stronger when we all stand together and finding a solution is the need of the hour….”
Kangana allegedly tweeted, “Why all these cricketers sounding like dhobi ka kutta na ghar ka nag hat ka? Why would farmers be against laws, which are revolutionary for their well-being. These are terrorists who are causing ruckus. Say that na….itna daarr lagta hai?”
According to Twitter policy, if a tweet is found to be violating the rules and yet to be deleted by the account owner, it will be hidden behind a notice. The microblogging site censors tweets promoting violence, hate speech, extremism and abuse. Kangana has called the protesting farmers “terrorist” repeatedly. Twitter has taken action the actress for her tweets.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said the biggest crime against farmers is calling martyrs as terrorists and viewing the protests as a political conspiracy. “The three farm laws, that should be rolled back, are a crime against farmers. But, the bigger crime is calling martyrs as terrorists and viewing farmers’ protest as a political conspiracy against them,” she said in Rampur. Priyanka also met the family of farmer Navneet Singh who died during the Republic Day tractor rally in New Delhi.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that in the last six years the central government has taken several steps that have made farmers self-reliant. The Prime Minister’s statements came during the centenary celebrations of Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh.
“Farmers have played a key role in the Chauri Chaura struggle. They have been behind the progress of the country. The Centre has taken several steps to make farmers self-reliant in the last six years. Due to this, the agriculture sector has grown despite the pandemic,” Modi said in his address. He also said that the unity of the country is a priority. “We have to take a pledge that the unity of the country and its respect for everything. With this feeling, we have to move forward along with each and every people of India,” he said.
Meanwhile, the United States has backed India’s farm laws and has encouraged the Centre to resolve differences through talks with the farmers. “We recognise that peaceful protests are a hallmark of any thriving democracy and the note that the Supreme Court of India has stated the same, said a spokesperson of the US State Department.
Earlier, US Representative Jim McGovern had urged the Indian government to engage in talks with the farmers.
“In general, the United States welcomes steps that would improve the efficiency of India's markets and attract greater private sector investment,” the official said, indicating that the Joe Biden administration is supportive of the central government’s move.
