'Probe Rahul Gandhi's trips': Ashoke Pandit echoes BJP's Sambit Patra amid Rihanna row

As the farmers continue to protest against the Centre's 3 contentious farm laws and with the agitation becoming politicised, Indian filmmaker Ashoke Pandit on Thursday said that former Congress president Rahul Gandi's 'mysterious' trips need to be investigated. Using trending hashtags #IndiaAgainst Propaganda, #IndiaStandsTogether and #IndiaWithModiji, Ashoke Pandit  took to Twitter and said, "What does this man do that he completely goes off the radar?"

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BJP counters Rihanna & Rahul Gandhi on farmers' stir

Earlier on Wednesday, BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra had launched a scathing attack on foreign elements attempting to meddle into the farmers' agitation questioning their selective outrage and slamming them for peddling the propaganda that was being orchestrated by an 'ecosystem' against India. 

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"Not only Rahul Gandhi, but there is also another Rihanna who has tweeted. Neither Rahul nor Rihanna knows what is Rabi crop or Kharif crop. They know nothing, but their habits are the same, they only tweet. Where were you when Mahatma Gandhi's statue in California was desecrated? He was not only the father of our nation but an apostle of peace for the world?" asked Patra.

"Did this ecosystem say anything when the 1984 riots happened? When Kashmiri pandits were forced into exile? I want to ask, did anyone raise their voice when the Delhi Police was attacked with swords? When they had to jump into a 20ft drop? Where were the human activists and those who speak on human riots violation?" he added.

BJP blames Congress for conspiring with foreign entities 

Alleging that former Congress President Rahul Gandhi's foreign trips were scheduled around meeting such 'anti-India elements' he said, "Rahul Gandhi does not just go abroad for a trip, he goes there to conspire against the country, he meets these anti-India elements to unleash propaganda to shame India. This is Rahul Gandhi's job. We already know how he and his mother went to China to do similar propaganda," he said. 

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"Those attempting any form of propaganda against India need to know about the nation's democracy. India is a democratic country. These bills were passed through a due democratic process after a debate in the parliament. Some 2-3 people tweet, will you judge India based on these 2-3 people's tweets? Do they know how 11 rounds of talks were held, how a Supreme Court committee is discussing it, how PM said that he is just a phone call away? Today India is against propaganda and mainstream, politicians like Rahul Gandhi must also refrain from engaging in such things," he added.

MEA cautions foreign celebrities

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.

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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. 

After the External Ministry's official statement, many Indian celebrities and politicians spoke out against the unwarranted statements made by Western artists such as Rihanna, urging the nation to stay united amid attempts to divide. 

The Centre has so far held 11 rounds of talks with the protesting farmers, with the top court of the country forming a panel to encourage further talks on the reforms. Moreover, just days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended an olive branch to the community, assuring that he was only one-call away if they wanted to hold any further discussions on the three Farm Laws. 

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