New Delhi: From ‘Rihanna’s Twitter storm’ to resolving the farmer’s protests and Rahul Gandhi’s “dictator” jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi — channels were fighting fit Tuesday.
After international pop star Rihanna’s tweet in support of the farmers’ protest hit the headlines all day, it became the topic of prime time debates too. India Today’s Rahul Kanwal asked whether her concern was genuine or just selective outrage, as many suggest — ‘Government vs. Rihanna’ flashed across the screen even as he spoke.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate was angry: “I take offence to people commenting on my country but what have we come to… our counter to that are coordinated tweets by Bollywood celebrities who were also tweeting on Black Lives Matter but keep quiet here?”
Sanju Verma, BJP spokesperson, took the debate onto another tangent altogether: “Did we see any tweets from Rahul Gandhi on the desecration of Mahatma statue in the United States….Congress has no moral high ground to give us a lecture on anything that pertains to violence, protests, or dissent,” she claimed.
ABP News also focused on “undivided India’s response to Western propaganda”. Anchor Rubika Liyaqat didn’t mince her words as she took aim at the pop singer.
“Robyn Rihanna Fenty is the full name of the pop singer whose one tweet had triggered chaos for a whole day. I have complete faith that most of you haven’t heard of this name, neither Indians know of Rihanna nor does Rihanna know about India,” she said.
She also noted how environmental activist Greta Thunberg and US media personality Mia Khalifa had also joined the “international propaganda”.
“From Sachin Tendulkar to a few celebrities, many spoke back in one voice and said that no one should be allowed to interfere in India’s matters,” Liyaqat said as a montage of a music video of Rihanna’s song ‘Umbrella’, interspersed with pressers held by Sambit Patra and Rahul Gandhi, filled the screen.
NewsX stayed chose to stay with issues more central to the farmer’s protests. Anchor Rishabh Gulati asked why “top lawyers” in Delhi had not visited the protesting farmers at Delhi’s borders and helped them get better prices for their produce.
“Why isn’t somebody going and drafting pro forma contracts for these farmers to get their best possible deals from India Inc…?” he asked.
Senior advocate Anoop George Chaudhari said the real question is why some of the new farm laws have barred the jurisdictions of civil courts from hearing disputes emerging out of their functioning and instead have been given to the Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and Additional District Magistrates (ADMs).
In the context of iron rods and makeshift walls coming up at farmers’ protest sites, Gulati joked, “That’s not a setting that I would like to live in. Should we all vacate? Head to Pakistan?”
All India Farmers Association Secretary-General Sanjay Nath Singh responded by saying, “They are us. It should not be like, we and them.”
After Rahul Gandhi targeted Modi in a tweet saying, “Why do so many dictators have names that begin with ‘M’?” Zee News’ Sachin Arora questioned whether Rahul Gandhi has forgotten that distinguished personalities from Mahatma Gandhi to Milkha Singh also share this initial. “Bharat Bhagya Vidhata, Rahul ko kyun nahi bhaata” he asked.
Majeed Memon, National Congress Party Rajya Sabha MP, commented, “If Congress Party or its leaders want to say that according to them Narendra Modi is a dictator, then they should clearly say this; the way adopted does insult other personalities who share the initial ‘M’”.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra seemed rather unconcerned — “Who did he (Rahul Gandhi) target with this tweet does not concern me. Maybe he’s learning the alphabet and reached the letter ‘M’ today,” Patra taunted and added, “Has he forgotten about his grandfather Maino and his deeds?”
Mirror Now travelled to poll-bound state of Tamil Nadu as anchor Tanvi Shukla wondered who would win the battle over Jayalalitha’s legacy, after Sasikala was released from jail.
Political analyst Sriram Seshadri commented, “AIADMK is a cadre’s party, whichever leader has the support of the cadre will take over the legacy of Jayalalitha. Don’t see Sasikala leading the party as of now,” he said.
T. M. Veeraraghav, senior journalist added, “Sasikala will be very careful about how she is going to manoeuvre herself in Tamil Nadu politics. It is most likely that she is going to openly challenge the AIADMK leadership even before the elections.”
Advocate C. Rajashekaran struck a conciliatory note: “Whether anyone likes it or not, 90 per cent of AIADMK members are hand-picked, selected, nominated and appointed by Sasikala. We need a united AIADMK, to fight the might of DMK; Sasikala should be brought back.”
(With inputs from Angana Chakrabarti)
Both Rahul Gandhi and Rihanna are foreigners. They should keep their collective noses out of India’s affairs.
“US Media Personality”, ya right. What a joke.
Lol “US Media Personality”
The lyrics of Rihanna’s songs are a testament to how dumb she is. Greta’s IQ has always been under serious question. She got really lucky with the Nobel.
Now wonder our own Pappu finds inspiration in such people.