Hema Malini Intrigued By Interest Of Foreign Celebrities In Indian Policies: Who Are They Trying To Please?

 Veteran actor and BJP MP Hema Malini on Thursday said she was intrigued by foreign celebrities support to ongoing farmers' protests when India was just a name "they have heard".

"I'm intrigued by foreign celebrities to whom our glorious country, India, is just a name they have heard, boldly making statements about our internal happenings and policies!" Malini tweeted.

"Wonder what they are trying to achieve, and more imptly (importantly), who are they trying to please?" she added in reference to American pop star Rihanna's tweet on Tuesday.

Rihanna had called attention to the plight of the agitating farmers on social media by sharing a CNN report over the Internet shutdown at the protest sites at Delhi border.

It led to a wave of support for the farmers from several global celebrities, activists and politicians, including climate activist Greta Thunberg, American lawyer and US Vice President Kamala Harris' niece Meena Harris, actor Amanda Cerni, singers Jay Sean and Hollywood star John Cusack.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs had slammed the remarks made by Rihanna and other celebrities and activists on farmer protests, saying the facts on the issue must be ascertained before people rushing to comment on it.

The MEA had asserted that the farm laws were passed by Parliament after a full debate and discussion.

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.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting at Delhi's borders for over two months demanding repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee of minimum support price for their crops.

Farmer unions have announced a countrywide blockade of national and state highways for three hours on Saturday when they would protest against the internet ban in areas near their agitation sites.

Sites of the farmer protest at Delhi's borders have turned into fortresses with police beefing up security and putting up multi-layer barricades to stop the movement of vehicles. Concertina wires have also been put up to keep off people on foot.