Farm laws: Vir Das, Sonakshi Sinha, Irfan Pathan, Tapsee Pannu, Swara Bhasker among those demonstrating courage in the face of tyranny

News Network
February 4, 2021

After dozens of highly paid celebrities and sports personalities pile on to support the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government after international backlash against the handling of the Indian farmers' protests, a few on social media sailed against the current by questioning the 'logic' behind the agitation being an "internal issue."

The development comes after pop star Rihanna's Wednesday tweet on farmers' protests snowballed into an internet storm and the nation's celebrities, from cricket legend Sachin tendulkar to Bollywood actors, tweeted backing the government stand that foreign intervention into "internal issues" was unnecessary, with a hashtag first used in a Ministry of External Affairs statement.

However, a few personalities dismissed the trend. Bollywood actor Tapsee Pannu tweeted, "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."

Bollywood choreographer Farah Khan also voiced dissent against the government saying people from other countries are speaking up because the Centre has failed to address the issues at hand.

While several cricketers including skipper Virat Kohli and legendary bowler Anil Kumble backed the government, former Indian team pacer Irfan Pathan said when Geroge Floyd was killed by the police in the US, an incident that sparked mass protests, India had expressed grief, suggesting that the nation had reacted to an incident that happened in the US.

Another cricketer, Sandeep Sharma, had also tweeted saying there was no logic in dismissing the farm agitation as an internal issue while listing atrocities against minorities across the world, such as the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany. However, Sharma deleted the tweet later.

Actor Sonakshi Sinha, Akshay Kumar's co-star of many films, was among the celebrities to support of Rihanna's tweet.

The actor, in her Instagram stories, shared quotes from storysellers comics, which said the voices raised by the 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."

Comedian-actor Vir Das said he was amazed to see how Indians got ‘mobilized’ over a tweet by Rihanna and Thunberg.

“Honestly, I don't think Rihanna or Greta have anything more than superficial wisdom about Indian farmers. But gotta say it's hilarious to see literally thousands of shaky Indian men get mobilized over a tweet, all the while proclaiming how secure they are in their policymakers,” he said.

Filmmaker Onir too took a dig at the tweets in support of the government by noted personalities and termed the so-called support from Bollywood as a ‘puppet show’.

“It is so embarrassingly obvious that a whole bunch or celebs who do not value their voice have been sent a set message, which they are modifying a bit and postings. They do what they have been told to. Tragic #puppetShow #worldWithFarmers #IStandWithFarmers,” he tweeted.

Actor Sayani Gupta tweeted, “Aiyooo! The cute Bhakts have awakened! (You know that moment in a zombie film climax, when the zombie was looking elsewhere, and a human was cautiously stepping away, and bam! It suddenly turns to him.) Just got that feeling!.”

Bollywood celebrities have often been called out in the media for not speaking up on politically sensitive topics unlike their counterparts in the US.

Pointing out to this fact, actor Swara Bhasker wrote on Wednesday, "Aur Bolo 'Speak Up Bollywood, 'Speak Up celebrities'."

"Made in Heaven" star Arjun Mathur used the hashtags to mock celebrities for displaying an "utter lack of spine", a thought echoed on social media with 'Spineless Celebs' trending on Twitter.

"Let us stand together in displaying our utter and complete lack of spine, in safeguarding our hundreds of crore rupees of income and in supporting this military-style mobilisation against the very masses who have practically treated us as gods and to whom we owe everything we enjoy. Let no sane or humane voice interfere, nor influence you.

"They can spectate, not participate. Please do support us, as we intend to come for you next," Mathur wrote on Instagram.

Actor-TV host Sushant Singh said he was heartbroken with the support pouring in from the film industry for the government.

“Why do you make those who are heroes or heroines in films your idols? Heartbroken now...”

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.

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News Network
November 25,2024

Udupi: Six junior artists from the prequel of Kannada blockbuster film ‘Kantara’ were injured, when the bus they were travelling in overturned in the district, police said on Monday.

According to police, the accident occurred near Jadkal on Sunday night when the mini-bus carrying the crew of the film overturned.

“The incident happened while they were returning to Kollur after completing the shoot at Mudoor in Jadkal. The mini-bus was carrying 20 junior artistes when it met with the accident,” a police officer said.

The injured were rushed to hospitals in Jadkal and Kundapur for treatment, they said.

The Kollur police are investigating the matter.

"The news making rounds is completely false. The Kantara: Chapter 1 team began shooting at 06:00 AM today, and everything is proceeding as normal. A minor accident occurred 20 kilometres away from the shooting location, involving a local bus carrying some members of the Kantara team. However, no injuries were reported," a source close to the production said.

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News Network
November 16,2024

Mangaluru: The Kavoor police in Mangaluru, Karnataka, have arrested three individuals from Kerala in connection with two separate cybercrime cases, including one involving extortion under the guise of a "digital arrest."

City Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal reported that one of the arrested individuals, Nisar, a resident of Ernakulam district, posed as a CBI officer. He allegedly threatened the complainant with arrest and extorted Rs 68 lakh. A case has been filed under sections 66 (C) and 66 (D) of the IT Act, and sections 308 (2) and 381 (4) of BNS.

In another case, the Kavoor police arrested two men, Sahil K P of Thiruvannur, Kozhikode, and Muhammad Nashath of Mappila Koyilandy, Kerala, in connection with a share trade fraud. The accused are alleged to have deceived the complainant by promising substantial profits from an investment in the stock market. Trusting the fraudsters, the complainant invested Rs 90 lakh, which was subsequently lost. A case has been registered under sections 66 (C) and 66 (D) of the IT Act, and sections 318 (4) and 3 (5) of BNS.

The accused were arrested in Koyilandi and presented before the court. The operation was carried out under the guidance of City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal, led by Mangaluru North Sub-Division ACP Srikanth K, Kavoor Inspector Raghavendra Byndoor, Kavoor PSI Mallikarjuna Biradara, and staff members Ramanna Shetty, Bhuvaneshwari, Rajappa Kashibai, Praveen N, and Malatesh. 

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News Network
November 13,2024

lebenonstrikes.jpg

Beirut: The Israeli army on Tuesday continued to launch attacks against civilians in Lebanon, targeting them in several areas without prior evacuation warnings.

However, 13 airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs in the space of only three hours were preceded by evacuation warnings.

The attacks caused no injuries but resulted in widespread destruction of residential buildings and commercial, medical and educational centers.

The airstrikes in southern Lebanon and Bekaa region, reaching Akkar in Lebanon’s far north, erased any hope of a near-term ceasefire settlement.

The strikes were accompanied by an announcement on Israel’s Channel 14 that “the Israeli army has expanded its operations in southern Lebanon to areas it had not reached since the beginning of the ground operation.”

About 50 days have passed since Israel intensified its hostile operations in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah. The death toll from these confrontations and attacks has passed 3,200, with more than 14,000 wounded.

For the first time, an airstrike targeted a mountainous area between Baalchmay and Aabadiyeh on the road leading to Aley, destroying a building housing displaced people.

The mayor of Baalchmay, Adham Al-Danaf, confirmed that “the airstrike targeted a residential building in the Dhour Aabadiyeh area.”

The initial toll from the Ministry of Health showed “five people killed and two injured.”

The raids that targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs for the first time in the morning, unlike nightly raids before, caused huge destruction. Those who evacuated their homes after Israeli warnings, used their phones to record the collapse of empty buildings in Sfeir, Haret Hreik, Bir Al-Abed, Mrayjeh, Laylaki and Hadath.

Israeli warplanes also targeted Tyre, where a strike on a building killed three people and injured many others, while a raid on Tefahta killed a man identified as Kifah Khalil and his family.

Attacks were widespread, with Yater and Zebqine subject to artillery shelling, a civilian being killed in Hermel, and further attacks on Bouday and an area between the towns of Srifa and Arsoun.

A raid on the town of Siddiqin killed two people and injured several others, while an attack on the Mechref farm led to one fatality and multiple injuries.

The search for those missing after an Israeli raid on the town of Ain Yaacoub in Akkar, in the northernmost part of Lebanon, continued until dawn.

During the operation, 14 bodies were retrieved, identified as those of residents displaced from the town of Arabsalim in the Iqlim Al-Tuffah area of the south, along with members of a Syrian family, a mother and three of her children. Additionally, there were 10 people in critical condition.

The targeted residence belongs to a Lebanese citizen, Hussein Hashim, who is reported to be a member of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party.

An airstrike on the town of Saksakiyeh in the Sidon region on Monday night resulted in yet another tragedy.

It appeared that the intended target was the Shoumer family, who just days before lost Hussein Amin Shoumer and his two sisters in a drone strike near Al-Awali River.

Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued additional evacuation warnings for towns in the southern region along the Litani River, which, according to estimates from the mayors, are currently 90 percent uninhabited.

In the meantime, Hezbollah announced its continued efforts to “combat the intrusions of Israeli forces and to strike military installations and towns in the north.”

Hezbollah said in a statement that it confronted “an Israeli Hermes 450 drone in the airspace of Nabatieh and forced it to leave Lebanese airspace.”

The party also announced that it targeted “Kfar Blum settlement with a rocket salvo.”

On the Israeli side, air raid sirens sounded in areas of Upper and Western Galilee and in the town of Kiryat Shmona and its surroundings.

The Israeli army confirmed that “a drone exploded in Nesher, east of Haifa, without activating the air raid sirens,” and that “a drone launched from Lebanon crashed into a school in Gesher HaZiv, north of Nahariya.”

Israel’s Channel 13 reported the Israeli military’s assessment regarding Hezbollah’s military strength, claiming that the group currently possesses approximately 100 precision missiles, thousands of artillery shells, and hundreds of rockets. Additionally, it was highlighted that “there are around 200 Lebanese towns that remain unvisited.”

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