'No propaganda can deter India's unity': Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Rihanna's tweet supporting farmers' protest

Home Minister Amit Shah responded to the international support to the farmers' protest on Wednesday (February 3) evening, becoming the senior-most member of the Narendra Modi-led government to do so.

"No propaganda can deter India's unity! No propaganda can stop India to attain new heights! Propaganda can not decide India's fate only 'Progress' can. India stands united and together to achieve progress," said Amit Shah, in his tweet.

The home minister shared his response while retweeting a statement made by the Ministry of External Affairs earlier in the day that took a stance against "vested interest groups trying to enforce their agenda".

Many other union ministers including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and a horde of Indian film and sports celebrities such as cricket team captain Virat Kohli and actor Akshay Kumar also made tweets supporting the ministry's statement.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also made a tweet that said, "Motivated campaigns targeting India will never succeed. We have the self confidence today to hold our own. This India will push back."

These responses followed a tweet made by international pop star Rihanna on February 2 in which she shared an article on the farmers' protest and internet shutdown, asking, "Why aren't we talking about this #FarmersProtest?"

Rihanna's tweet brought the matter to international attention and many prominent voices shared articles and extended their support to the agitation by the farmers on the borders leading to Delhi.

Meanwhile, the central government has maintained that only a small section of farmers had reservations about the farm reforms passed in the Parliament last year. The government said that it would not repeal the laws but offered to suspend them for 18 months after the Supreme Court put a hold on their implementation for two years. The farmer leaders and unions turned down the government's offer and urged them to repeal these laws.