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Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar - 'Puppets' of Modi government?: Sonu Sood, Taapsee, others take a dig at Bollywood, cricketers

A clear divide between Bollywood celebrities was visible as Taapsee Pannu, Swara Bhasker, Siddharth criticised similarly worded tweets by stars like Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn in response to pop star Rihanna's post drawing attention to the farmers' agitation in India.
A clear divide between Bollywood celebrities was visible as Taapsee Pannu, Swara Bhasker, Siddharth criticised similarly worded tweets by stars like Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn in response to pop star Rihanna's post drawing attention to the farmers' agita
A clear divide between Bollywood celebrities was visible as Taapsee Pannu, Swara Bhasker, Siddharth criticised similarly worded tweets by stars like Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn in response to pop star Rihanna's post drawing attention to the farmers' agita
Online Desk
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While some from the industry were direct in their criticism, including Taapsee, actor-comedian Vir Das and 'Rang De Basanti' actor Siddharth, others took a dig at the 'puppet' show by big stars for the government. (Photo | PTI)
While some from the industry were direct in their criticism, including Taapsee, actor-comedian Vir Das and 'Rang De Basanti' actor Siddharth, others took a dig at the 'puppet' show by big stars for the government. (Photo | PTI)
Pop star Rihanna, the fourth most followed celebrity on Twitter with over 100 million followers, on Tuesday took to the microblogging site to share a CNN news article headlined, 'India cuts internet around New Delhi as protesting farmers clash with police. Why aren't we talking about this? #FarmersProtest,' Rihanna wrote on Tuesday. (Photo | AP)
Pop star Rihanna, the fourth most followed celebrity on Twitter with over 100 million followers, on Tuesday took to the microblogging site to share a CNN news article headlined, 'India cuts internet around New Delhi as protesting farmers clash with police. Why aren't we talking about this? #FarmersProtest,' Rihanna wrote on Tuesday. (Photo | AP)
Post her tweet, Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg, Meena Harris, an American lawyer and niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris, actors Amanda Cerni, singers Jay Sean, Dr Zeus and former adult star Mia Khalifa voiced their support to the protesting farmers. India on Wednesday reacted sharply to these tweets with several Bollywood and cricket stars and top ministers rallying around the government in its pushback. (Photo | AFP and Instagram)
Post her tweet, Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg, Meena Harris, an American lawyer and niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris, actors Amanda Cerni, singers Jay Sean, Dr Zeus and former adult star Mia Khalifa voiced their support to the protesting farmers. India on Wednesday reacted sharply to these tweets with several Bollywood and cricket stars and top ministers rallying around the government in its pushback. (Photo | AFP and Instagram)
Personalities including Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Lata Mangeshkar, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Karan Johar and others rallied around the government on social media using hashtags - #IndiaTogether #IndiaAgainstPropaganda as they reacted to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs on the issue. These tweets advised people to not fall for 'false propaganda' and support 'an amicable resolution', rather than paying attention to anyone creating differences. (Photo | PTI)
Personalities including Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Lata Mangeshkar, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Karan Johar and others rallied around the government on social media using hashtags - #IndiaTogether #IndiaAgainstPropaganda as they reacted to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs on the issue. These tweets advised people to not fall for 'false propaganda' and support 'an amicable resolution', rather than paying attention to anyone creating differences. (Photo | PTI)
Terming it 'embarrassing' and 'tragic', many in the film industry called out the celebrities for their sudden and co-ordinated Twitter activity while they failed to notice or acknowledge the plight of farmers. (Photo | PTI)
Terming it 'embarrassing' and 'tragic', many in the film industry called out the celebrities for their sudden and co-ordinated Twitter activity while they failed to notice or acknowledge the plight of farmers. (Photo | PTI)
Taapsee Pannu, who has been a vocal supporter of the farmers' issue, took a jibe at the government's campaign and said one should focus on strengthening one's own value system than getting affected by a tweet. 'If one tweet rattles your unity, one joke rattles your faith or one show rattles your religious belief, then it’s you who has to work on strengthening your value system not become ‘propaganda teacher’ for others,' Taapsee Pannu wrote. (Photo | PTI)
Taapsee Pannu, who has been a vocal supporter of the farmers' issue, took a jibe at the government's campaign and said one should focus on strengthening one's own value system than getting affected by a tweet. 'If one tweet rattles your unity, one joke rattles your faith or one show rattles your religious belief, then it’s you who has to work on strengthening your value system not become ‘propaganda teacher’ for others,' Taapsee Pannu wrote. (Photo | PTI)
Kollywood star Siddharth tweeted that powerful celebrities toeing the government line was the real propoganda. He wrote, 'Choose your heroes wisely or watch them fall from grace. Education, empathy, honesty and a little spine could have saved the day. Alas. When powerful people who never take a stand, all suddenly sing the same tune in an orchestrated effort and just tow the line they are told to like pawns, that's what propaganda is all about. Know your #propaganda. #farmersrprotest.' (Photo | EPS)
Kollywood star Siddharth tweeted that powerful celebrities toeing the government line was the real propoganda. He wrote, 'Choose your heroes wisely or watch them fall from grace. Education, empathy, honesty and a little spine could have saved the day. Alas. When powerful people who never take a stand, all suddenly sing the same tune in an orchestrated effort and just tow the line they are told to like pawns, that's what propaganda is all about. Know your #propaganda. #farmersrprotest.' (Photo | EPS)
Bollywood actor Sonu Sood took a sly dig, without naming anyone, writing, 'If you call the wrong right, how will you get sleep?' (Photo | PTI)
Bollywood actor Sonu Sood took a sly dig, without naming anyone, writing, 'If you call the wrong right, how will you get sleep?' (Photo | PTI)
Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha, Akshay Kumar's frequent co-star, also supported Rihanna's tweet. Sinha, in her Instagram stories, shared quotes from a social media page storysellers comics, which said the voices raised by international celebrities are 'about the violation of human rights, suppression of free internet and expression, state propaganda, hate speech, and abuse of power.' One of the stories on Sinha's Instagram also dismissed the argument that it was India's internal matter, saying, 'these are not alien species but fellow humans who are speaking up for the rights of other humans.' (Photo | PTI)
Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha, Akshay Kumar's frequent co-star, also supported Rihanna's tweet. Sinha, in her Instagram stories, shared quotes from a social media page storysellers comics, which said the voices raised by international celebrities are 'about the violation of human rights, suppression of free internet and expression, state propaganda, hate speech, and abuse of power.' One of the stories on Sinha's Instagram also dismissed the argument that it was India's internal matter, saying, 'these are not alien species but fellow humans who are speaking up for the rights of other humans.' (Photo | PTI)
Former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary took an indirect dig at his teammates. On Twitter, he wrote, 'When I was a kid, I never saw a puppet show. It took me 35 years to see one.' (Photo | PTI)
Former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary took an indirect dig at his teammates. On Twitter, he wrote, 'When I was a kid, I never saw a puppet show. It took me 35 years to see one.' (Photo | PTI)
Stand up comedian Vir Das said he was amazed to see how Indians got 'mobilized' over a tweet by Rihanna and Thunberg. (Photo | EPS)
Stand up comedian Vir Das said he was amazed to see how Indians got 'mobilized' over a tweet by Rihanna and Thunberg. (Photo | EPS)
Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan was also critical of his views. He wrote, 'When George Floyd was brutally murdered in the USA by a policeman, our country rightly expressed our grief. #justsaying.' (Photo | EPS)
Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan was also critical of his views. He wrote, 'When George Floyd was brutally murdered in the USA by a policeman, our country rightly expressed our grief. #justsaying.' (Photo | EPS)
Bollywood celebrities have often been questioned by the media for not speaking up on politically sensitive topics unlike their counterparts in the US. Referring to the fact, Swara Bhasker wrote on Wednesday, 'Aur Bolo, Speak Up Bollywood, Speak Up celebrities.' (Photo | Swara Bhasker Instagram)
Bollywood celebrities have often been questioned by the media for not speaking up on politically sensitive topics unlike their counterparts in the US. Referring to the fact, Swara Bhasker wrote on Wednesday, 'Aur Bolo, Speak Up Bollywood, Speak Up celebrities.' (Photo | Swara Bhasker Instagram)
Director Onir too took a dig at the tweets in support of the government and termed the so-called support from Bollywood a 'puppet show'. (Photo | EPS)
Director Onir too took a dig at the tweets in support of the government and termed the so-called support from Bollywood a 'puppet show'. (Photo | EPS)
On Twitter, Punjab pacer Sandeep Sharma wrote, “By this logic no one should care about each other because every situation is someone’s internal affair.' He also shared a pic along with it, which read, 'Many people, including the Indian External Affairs Ministry, have criticized the famous singer Rihanna for having supported the Indian farmers, saying it is the internal affair of India.' However, he later deleted the tweet. (Photo | PTI)
On Twitter, Punjab pacer Sandeep Sharma wrote, “By this logic no one should care about each other because every situation is someone’s internal affair.' He also shared a pic along with it, which read, 'Many people, including the Indian External Affairs Ministry, have criticized the famous singer Rihanna for having supported the Indian farmers, saying it is the internal affair of India.' However, he later deleted the tweet. (Photo | PTI)
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and UP, have been protesting for over two months at Delhi's borders demanding rollback of the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. (Photo | EPS)
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and UP, have been protesting for over two months at Delhi's borders demanding rollback of the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. (Photo | EPS)
Virat Kohli
Bollywood
Akshay Kumar
Ajay Devgn
Sachin Tendulkar
Rihanna
Swara Bhasker
Sonu Sood
Taapsee Pannu
farmers protest
Farm Laws
Farm Laws 2020
Agri Laws
Agri Laws 2020
Siddharth

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