Swara Bhaskara Speaks On Rihanna

Swara Bhaskara  fails to understand why American pop star Rihanna or Swedish environmentalist  Great Thunberg tweeting on our farmers’ protest should be  considered an internal matter. “We first need  to address the issue  of what is an  internal issue?Is injustice in any part  of the world an internal issue? Because  if it is, then we should not discuss anything except what happens within the  boundaries  of our own countries, states , cities and mohallahs.”

  Swara wants  Indians to get out of their  selfimposed  citadels. “We  can’t be that selfcentred. When  George Floyd was  murdered and the black-lives-matter movement happened, our celebrities were regularly tweeting on  it.”

  Besides  Swara wonders  why  the Indian government doesn’t restrict its own comments  on external matters if  the farmers’ protest is an internal matter. “ Our government  regularly issues  statements  on happenings  around the world, the most recent being the coup in Mynmar. How come  when  our government comments on global issues we don’t think  of internal matters?”

   The actress-activist feels  the farmers’ issue  has become  a global discussion because  of  the  way it was handled.“I think the farmers’ protest has become such a  large global issue because  of the way our government has  responded  to it. If you  notice,  a lot of international  celebrities are talking about the internet  blackout and the crackdown on farmers and  the militarization of Delhi borders . They are not commenting on  the Farm Laws, per se. They are commenting on  the way the farmers are being treated, and  I don’t understand  why that’s  a problem.”

   Swara  feels a free flow of  opinion and information is the  order  of the day. “I think this is an era of technology and communication. All information is accessible to  everyone at all times. People everywhere  know what’s happening around the world  and  they express that opinion. And that’s  the  way it should be.What is wrong with that?”