Hollywood actor Susan Sarandon reiterates support to farmers
Must let India's leaders know world is watching
Mumbai, Feb 7: Hollywood veteran actor Susan Sarandon has amplified her support to the ongoing farmers agitation and said despite attempts to silence the "most vulnerable" Indian leaders should remember the world is watching them.
The "Thelma & Louise" star became the latest international celebrity to back the protest, after a tweet by pop star Rihanna triggered a wave of support for the protesting farmers by a number of global personalities, activists and politicians.
Sarandon took to Twitter late Saturday evening and shared a news report by Al Jazeera, headlined, "Free speech under threat as India clamps down on farmer protests."
"Corporate greed and exploitation knows no bounds, not only in the US but worldwide. While they work w/ corp. media and politicians to silence the most vulnerable, we must let India's leaders know the world is watching and we #StandWithFarmers! #FarmersProtests," she captioned the post.
Earlier on Saturday, the 74-year-old actor had shared a news report by The New York Times, explaining why farmers are protesting in the country.
"Standing in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India. Read about who they are and why they're protesting below," Sarandon wrote.
Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg, Meena Harris, an American lawyer and niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris, actor Amanda Cerni, singers Jay Sean, Dr Zeus and former adult star Mia Khalifa have also supported the protesting farmers.
The government had criticised the tweets by Rihanna and other celebrities, saying facts must be ascertained before people rushing to comment on the issue, calling it "neither accurate nor responsible".
Tens of thousands of farmers have been protesting at three border points on the outskirts of Delhi demanding a complete repeal of the three farm laws.
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Pakistan reports two more polio cases; Total tally now 52
ISLAMABAD: At least two more cases of poliovirus were reported in Pakistan, taking the number of infections to 52 so far this year, a report said on Friday.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of two more wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in Pakistan," an official statement said.
The fresh infections — a boy and a girl — were reported from the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the children is underway," the statement read. Dera Ismail Khan, one of the seven polio-endemic districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has reported five polio cases so far this year.
Of the 52 cases in the country this year, 24 are from Balochistan, 13 from Sindh, 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
There is no cure for polio. Only multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five can keep them protected.
