Konkona Sensharma feels ‘fear’ made Bollywood and cricket stars share unity tweets on farmers’ protest

Konkona Sensharma responded to a tweet questioning why Bollywood and cricket stars put out similar statements on the farmers' protest.

Konkona Sensharma offered an explanation for why a number of prominent Bollywood stars and cricketers put out similar tweets on the farmers’ protest with the hashtag ‘India against propaganda’ on Wednesday. She said that many of them perhaps did so out of ‘fear’.

Konkona Sensharma responded to the tweets by the film fraternity and cricketers on the ongoing farmers' protest.

A Twitter user wrote, “When it comes to Bollywood or cricket celebs doing what they're doing, I wonder, is it the carrot or is it the stick? They're rich enough to not be bribed, so it must be fear of some kind. What kind? I hope some insider reveals the full story one day.” Replying to him, Konkona wrote, “@amitvarma I think for many, it is fear.”

A screenshot of Konkona Sensharma's tweet.

On Wednesday, a number of Bollywood stars including Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Karan Johar and others shared statements about the ongoing farmers’ protest. Some used the hashtag ‘India against propaganda’. Cricketers such as Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma also put out similar statements.

Their tweets came after the external affairs ministry’s statement on certain ‘vested interest groups’ succeeding in getting ‘international support against India’.

International pop singer Rihanna voiced support for the farmers’ protest on Tuesday by sharing a news article on the internet shutdown near the site. “Why aren’t we talking about this?!” she asked. Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg shared the same story and expressed 'solidarity' with the protesters.

The ‘India against propaganda’ tweets were criticised by actor Taapsee Pannu, who wrote on Twitter, “If one tweet rattles your unity, one joke rattles your faith or one show rattles your religious belief then it’s you who has to work on strengthening your value system not become ‘propaganda teacher’ for others.”

Actor Sanjay Khan's daughter, jewellery designer Farah Khan Ali, meanwhile, expressed disappointment with the campaign and said that the film fraternity could have ‘tried to make (their tweets) more original’ at least.