Rahul Gandhi refuses to wade into Rihanna's take on farm stir; asserts 'Internal matter'

Addressing a press briefing on Wednesday, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi refused to wade into Barbadian pop star Rihanna's take on the farmers' stir. Tweeting on the agitation against the three farm laws and the suspension of internet at the protest sites a day earlier, she had questioned, "why aren’t we talking about this?! #FarmersProtest." This was followed by environmental activist Greta Thunberg and US Vice President Kamala Harris's niece Meena Harris expressing their support for the farmers' cause in India. 

While the Ministry of External Affairs dubbed such comments as "neither accurate nor responsible", the Wayanad MP commented that he was "not interested" in this controversy. At the same time, he affirmed that the farmers' stir is an internal matter. Thereafter, Gandhi reiterated that the Union government should repeal The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. 

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi remarked, "I am not interested in this. I have no opinion about this. This is our internal matter. This is farmers' matter. It is clear that these laws have to be repealed." 

Read: JJP District President Inderjit Singh Goraya Resigns Over New Farm Laws Issue

MEA's intervention

In a strongly-worded statement, the MEA made it clear that the farm reforms were enacted by the Parliament after a full debate and discussion. Maintaining that only a very small section of farmers have reservations about these laws, it mentioned that the Centre has not only conducted 11 rounds of talks with farm unions but also offered to keep the implementation of the laws on hold. It is pertinent to note that the Supreme Court has already stayed the implementation of the farm laws and formed a committee to resolve the impasse between the protesting farmers and the Union government.

The MEA lamented that "vested groups" were trying to derail the protests despite this scenario. To buttress its point, it highlighted the violence that took place in the national capital during the farmers' tractor rally. Moreover, the Ministry linked the desecration of Mahatma Gandhi statues in different parts of the world to the instigation by fringe elements seeking to mobilize international support against India. It called upon the foreign entities and individuals to ascertain the facts before "rushing to comment" on such matters. 

Read: 'Punjab Assembly To Pass Laws To Counter Centre's Farm Laws Again': CM At All-party Meet