SINGLE TWEET FROM RIHANNA ON FARMER PROTESTS INFURIATES INDIA

It took just one tweet from Rihanna to anger the Indian government and supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party.

The pop star linked a news article in a tweet drawing attention to the massive farmer protests that have gripped India for more than two months, Sheikh Saaliq reported for the Associated Press (AP.)

Now, senior government ministers, Indian celebrities and even the foreign ministry are urging people to come together and denounce outsiders who try to break the country.

“It is unfortunate to see vested interest groups trying to enforce their agenda on these protests, and derail them,” India’s foreign ministry said Wednesday in a rare statement criticizing “foreign individuals” posting on social media. It did not name Rihanna and others who followed suit.

The latest controversy started Tuesday when Rihanna tweeted to her more than 101 million followers: “Why aren’t we talking about this?!”

She linked to a CNN news report about India blocking internet services at the protest sites, a favored tactic of the Modi government to thwart protests. The AP and many international news agencies have been covering the farmer protests for months.

The main opposition Congress party leader Shashi Tharoor said the damage done to India’s global image by the government’s “undemocratic behaviour” could not be restored by making celebrities tweet.

Tharoor in a tweet said Indian government getting “Indian celebrities to react to Western ones is embarrassing.”

Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram took a swipe at the foreign ministry and called its statement “puerile reaction.”

WEEKLY FEATURE : COLORSTEEL'S PRESIDENT BREAKS BARRIERS