As Celebs Follow Government Cue On Farmers, Sonakshi Sinha Says No

A day after a raft of celebrities led a government-backed pushback against international criticism of authorities in India trying to stifle the two-month-long farmers' protest, actor Sonakshi Sinha joined the handful of public figures who spoke out against the concerted campaign.

"The voices raised are about the violation of human rights, suppressions of free internet and expression, state propaganda, hate speech and abuse of power," Sonakshi Sinha posted as an Instagram story.

"Journalists are being harassed. Internet has been banned. Protesters are being vilified through state and media propaganda. Hate speech (desh ke gaddaro ko, goli maro sardaro ko resurfaced) is flourishing. THAT is the issue that's taken global centre stage," she wrote.

"To re-iterate, news tonight will try to paint a picture that 'outside forces' are trying to meddle in the functioning of our country. Please don't give in to that narrative. It's human, standing up for other humans. THAT'S the narrative," Ms Sinha added.

Her post was in response to an avalanche of tweets by actors, cricketers, ministers, Indian missions abroad and leaders and supporters of the ruling BJP that pushed the two government-backed hashtags #IndiaTogether and #IndiaAgainstPropaganda to the top of Twitter trends on Wednesday.

The campaign came amid international condemnation of the government's efforts to choke the farmers' protest - with internet shutdowns, barbed wire, road spikes concrete walls and a media blockade - spurred by a tweet from US-based pop star Rihanna.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at Delhi's borders for over two months demanding that the three new farm laws, which they say will leave them at the mercy of corporates, be repealed.

The government has challenged the view and made efforts to have them removed or have their access to information and supporters cut off.