NEW DELHI: Ditches, concertina wire, nails hammered into roads, concrete girders, high walls and tiers of containers have sprung up around Delhi to protect the Indian capital from its own farmers, and a former diplomat likened the scene on Wednesday to the Berlin Wall in 1989.

The farmers said they were determined to continue their peaceful protest and a major meeting of their leaders in Jind in Haryana decided to press on with their demand to repeal three farm laws they see as favouring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s business allies.

The battle-lines spread to parliament where an unusually united opposition demanded compliance with the farmers’ months-old demand.

But the government too hardened its stance, allowing TV channels to heap abuses on the protesters, calling them terrorists and Khalistanis.

India’s foreign ministry joined the battle against international celebrities after American pop star Rihanna and environment activist Greta Thunberg expressed solidarity with the farmers’ struggle.

The ministry released a statement about the ever-conniving and always evasive “vested interest groups” who have managed to “mobilise international support against India”, The Wire reported.

“Needless to say, Bollywood’s epitome of patriotism, Akshay Kumar, swiftly tweeted out his support of the MEA’s statement.

He was followed by Sunil Shetty, Ekta Kapoor and Karan Johar, and it’s likely that more will following these demonstrations of ‘loyalty’ suit as the day progresses,”

The Wire said. Sachin Tendulkar also tweeted his support for the government.

Rihanna’s comment was followed by Swedish activist Ms Thunberg. She said, “We stand in solidarity with the farmers protest in India.”

Ms Meena Harris commented, “It’s no coincidence that the world’s oldest democracy was attacked not even a month ago, and as we speak, the most populous democracy is under assault. This is related. We all should be outraged by India’s internet shutdowns and paramilitary violence against farmer protesters.”

Ms Meena Harris is the daughter of Maya Lakshmi Harris, sibling of Ms Kamala Harris.

Meanwhile, the Indian government has issued a notice to Twitter to comply with its order of removal of content related to ‘farmer genocide’. The government alleged that the material was designed to spread misinformation to inflame passions and hatred and warned that refusal to do so may invite penal action.

On Tuesday evening, Twitter restored over 250 accounts, hours after blocking them due to “legal demand”.

The platform in a meeting with government officials contested the order, arguing that these accounts were not in violation of Twitter policy, and declined to abide by the government order.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2021