Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty faces allegations of using 'child labour'? Complaint details here

A non-governmental organization (NGO) called Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) has filed a complaint with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) against the skincare and wellness brand 'Fenty Beauty' owned by pop star Rihanna. LRO alleged that Rihanna's brand doesn't have requisite certification to outlaw that the Mica (a silicate mineral) used in its products isn't sourced from mines in Jharkhand where 'child labourers work in dire conditions', a report on the complaint states. Fenty Beauty is a cosmetics brand and fashion line launched by Rihanna 2017.

An investigation has been sought by LRO and it has asked for Rihanna's brand to prove it has the required certification (Supply chain clearance certification) for the same. Online reports also claim that Fenty Beauty did not conduct mandatory audits regarding the Suppliers Code of Conduct under the Californian law that deals with human trafficking, slavery, and child abuse.

#Rihanna @rihanna's cosmetic product company @fentybeauty which procures MICA from #Jharkhand's Kodarma, Girdih n Navada has no Supply Chain Clearance Certification meant for prohibiting Child labours; @NCPCR_ inquiry sought in this regard @KanoongoPriyank #ToolKitExposed pic.twitter.com/mKBF9HUfrK

— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro)

Rihanna's tweet on farmers' stir okay but Tendulkar's not?: VHP slams Sharad Pawar's logic

After Rihanna's tweet on the farmers' protest in India snowballed into a big controversy, the Ministry of External Affairs released a statement slamming "vested interest groups" trying to enforce their agenda on the protests. 

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. 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. Thereafter, it called upon the foreign entities and individuals to ascertain the facts before "rushing to comment" on such matters.

"We would like to emphasize that these protests must be seen in the context of India's democratic ethos and polity, and the efforts of the government and the concerned farmer groups to resolve the impasse," the statement said.

Amid a raging controversy over the sudden interest among foreign celebrities in Indian affairs, an organisation named Poetic Justice which was accused of having a hand in the 'toolkit' for protesting against India shared by Greta Thunberg as well as Rihanna's original tweet, has washed its hands off the entire matter. 

A joint statement issued by Mo Dhaliwal and Anita Lal, co-founders of the Poetic Justice Foundation, said it "did not coordinate Rihanna, Greta Thunberg or any number of specific celebrities to tweet about the farmers' protest".

"We didn’t pay anyone to tweet — and certainly didn’t pay anyone $2.5m to do so. However, we did generally encourage the entire world to share this issue. Through the international collective of organizers we encouraged the world to pay attention and amplify this message," the statement shared on the website read. It further denied coordinating any protest activities occurring in India. "Up to India’s Republic Day and beyond — whether at Red Fort in Delhi or elsewhere in the country — we were not involved in directing or fomenting any protest activity of any sort within India,” they said. The Delhi Police has initiated a probe into the 'Toolkit' at the very least, which had issued detailed instructions for an online and on-ground protest on Republic Day, not only in New Delhi or in India for that matter, rather at Indian embassies and offices across the world.

Rihanna paid $2.5 million for tweet & Greta's toolkit part of plot? Accused group responds