Farmers protest: Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey ‘liked’ several tweets praising Rihanna
New Delhi:
Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey has hit the ‘like’ button on several tweets that praised singer Rihanna for her tweet on the protest by farmers against new agriculture laws in India. Rihanna and climate activist Greta Thunberg’s tweets on the farmer protests have been condemned by the government as interference in domestic matters.
Among the tweets ‘liked’ by Mr Dorsey was one by Washington Post journalist Karen Attiah, who tweeted, “Rihanna has raised her voice for social justice movements in Sudan, Nigeria, and now India, and Myanmar. She is a real one.”
Rihanna has raised her voice for social justice movements in Sudan, Nigeria, and now India, and Myanmar.
She is a REAL ONE.
— Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) February 2, 2021
Mr Dorsey hit the ‘like’ button on another tweet by Ms Attiah, who said, “Now is as a good time as ever for @Twitter and @Jack to add a Twitter emoji to the massive #FarmersProtests in India – like they did for historic international protests like #BlackLivesMatter and #EndSars”
Now is as a good time as ever for @Twitter and @Jack to add a Twitter emoji to the massive #FarmersProtests in India — like they did for historic international protests like #BlackLivesMatter and #EndSars.
— Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) February 3, 2021
A global battle of perception has broken out on social media after Rihanna and Ms Thunberg’s tweets on the farmer protests that have been going on for months, demanding the government to withdraw three farm laws that they claim would hurt their earnings and put minimum price guarantee in danger.
The government has said it is willing to discuss the laws clause by clause and even agreed to pause the laws for one-and-a-half years, but the farmers want nothing less than complete repeal of the laws.
Actors, politicians and sports stars including Sachin Tendulkar tweeted to ask people to “remain united” and not allow “external forces” to harm sovereignty, using the hashtags #IndiaTogether and #IndiaAgainstPropaganda
The Delhi Police today cited another tweet by Ms Thunberg in a case filed today that alleges an overseas “conspiracy” and an attempt to “promote enmity between groups”. The teen climate campaigner, unfazed, tweeted that she “still” stood with farmers and “no amount of threats” would change that.
I still #StandWithFarmers and support their peaceful protest.
No amount of hate, threats or violations of human rights will ever change that. #FarmersProtest— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) February 4, 2021
The farmers are dug in on a highway on the Delhi-Haryana border. The police have barricaded the areas to stop tractors and more crowds coming to the area.