Bollywood comes out in support of protesting farmers

Unlike Kangana Ranaut, many including Diljit Dosanjh and Priety Zinta have voiced the plight of neglected harvesters

Numerous farmers in India, represented by farmer unions mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting what they perceive as unjust farming laws passed by the Parliament, reported the Hindustan Times.

They have hunkered down at the borders of Delhi, due to which a nationwide strike has been declared on Tuesday, December 8. And like other social issues, the farmer’s protest has also divided Bollywood, with the likes of Kangana Ranaut and Vivek Agnihotri choosing to side with the government.

But celebrities like Diljit Dosanjh, Priety Zinta, Riteish Deshmukh, Richa Chadha, Hansal Mehta, Anubhav Sinha among others have lent support to the farmers. Dosanjh was the first to show solidarity with farmers on social media, following which he personally went to the Delhi border to join them in protest.

Deshmukh then took to Twitter saying, “If you eat today, thank a farmer. I stand in solidarity with every farmer in our country. #JaiKisaan.”

Mehta, on the other hand, slammed director Vivek Agnihotri on Twitter after he shared a video propagating a conspiracy that the protestors weren’t actually farmers. “Mock them as always and don’t listen to them as always.” he wrote. While Chadha shared, “For those who are wondering why the farmers are protesting, read up on how Downwards Arrow India has been facing an agrarian crisis for the past 2 decades.”

“12000 farmers commit suicide every year, that’s over 30/day! And yet, this is the biggest protest by people who put food on our plates,” she added.

Zinta also tweeted the plight of these men of the soil. “My heart goes out to the farmers and their families protesting in the cold in this pandemic. They are the soldiers of the soil that keep our country going. I sincerely hope the talks between the farmers and government yield positive results soon so all is resolved. #Farmerprotests #Rabrakha.”

As for Sinha, who has of late tackled societal issues like domestic violence and cast-based discrimination in films, tweeted saying, “Ravi, Jhelum, Sutlej, Chenab, Beas have something special in the water of these five rivers. Zindabad!” he referred to the five rivers of Punjab, owing to which the state is called what it is.