Farmer protest: Maha govt changes stance; says probe on 'BJP I-T cell, not celebs' tweets'

Refuting police probe into 'tweets of celebrities', Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Monday, stated that the BJP I-T cell must be probed and names of 12 influencers have come out.  Previously, Deshmukh had started a probe into tweets by Indian celebrities on the farmers' stir, alleging that these persons could have been under pressure of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. Several top celebrities like Sachin Tendulkar, Lata Mangeshkar, and Saina Nehwal took to Twitter had condemned 'international interference' into farmers' protest, saying 'Indian issues should be resolved internally'.

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Twitter war over farmers' protest

The Twitter war over farmers' protest began when US pop star Rihanna asked 'why aren't we talking about this?', sharing a CNN article on internet shutdown across farmer protest sites across Delhi. Immediately, several international celebrities like Greta Thunberg, Canadian Youtuber Lilly Singh, Mia Khalifa, Hasan Minhaj, US Vice-Prez Kamala Harris' niece - Meena Harris threw their support to the farmers' protest- bashing the Centre. In protest, several Indian celebrities like Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Kangana Ranaut, and almost the entire Indian cricket team hit back against 'interference into India's internal matters' urging India to stand together to solve its issues. 

Similarly, Tendulkar tweeted that external forces can be spectators but not participants in India's internal affairs, while Lata Mangeshkar too tweeted 'we are fully equipped to resolve them amicably'. In retaliation, Kerala's Youth Congress members smeared Sachin's poster with black oil. This move was slammed by the BJP, withe ex-Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis asking, "Not only for Maharashtra but Sachin Tendulkar is a pride for the whole country. Will the leader of Maha Vikas Aghadi bear such an insult of Bharat Ratna recipient?".

Later, Congress leader Sachin Sawant said that necessary to 'find out whether these celebrities were arm-twisted by BJP', demanding a probe by Maharashtra govt, which Deshmukh complied too. Reacting to these allegations, Fadnavis raised questions about the lack of 'Marathi pride' being shown by the MVA government. Moreover, he argued the need to probe the 'mental stability' of the persons who demanded a probe and the persons who approved it. Meanwhile, the MEA said some "vested interest groups" are trying to enforce their agenda on the protests, while the Delhi police has filed an FIR against the 'toolkit document' which 'planned a conspiracy' against the Indian govt.

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