'#Aaj_Bharat_Bandh_Hai': Plough, tractor trends on Twitter as farmers protest in solidarity
New Delhi, Dec 8: Social media was abuzz on Tuesday with messages of solidarity with the agitating farmers on 'Bharat Bandh' day as netizens made ploughs, tractors, crops and 'Kisan' trends on Twitter in support of the protesters' demands.
A nationwide agitation was held on the call of 'December 8 Kisan Mahaandolan' as protesting farmers vociferously reiterated their demand of repealing the new farm laws, which they have termed as "kala kanoon".
As the agitation picked up in the morning, the hashtag #Aaj_Bharat_Bandh_Hai was trending till late afternoon.
Other hashtags widely used by the netizens were #TractorToTwitter, #IStandWithFarmers, #Kisan, #FarmersProtest and #NoFarmersNoFood.
Many users also shared videos of deserted markets in cities in Gujarat, Maharashtra and other states to show the impact of the stir.
"I stand with Farmers and strongly support .. Kisaan hai toh Desh hai. #AajBharatBandhHai," tweeted user @gschahal, and shared a photo from the main protest site at Delhi-Haryana border.
Images of ploughs locking a door drawn in the shape of India's map and tractors triumphing over odds were widely shared to convey the idea of bandh and farmers' struggle.
Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh, who recently had an ugly spat with actress Kangana Ranaut over the farmers' protest issue, shared posters of 'Bharat Bandh' and the trending hashtag #AajBharatBandhHai.
Many other Twitter users posted posters, pictures and videos to convey their solidarity with the farmers.
"Finally Thumbs upThumbs upThumbs up Worldwide trending on number 1 #AajBharatBandhHai," wrote @JowanjotKaur while sharing an image of a Punjabi 'kisan' holding a flag atop the hood of a tractor.
Bharat Kisan Union tweeted bilingually: "Keep supporting! Strengthen Farmer's Voice! Maximum Retweet! #8December #Bharat_Bandh #FarmersProtestDelhi2020 #FarmersDelhiProtest #FarmersDilliChalo #AajBharatBandhHai, #RepealBlackLaws #FarmersProtest2020."
Another user @JAafia tweeted: "I stand with Our Kissan Brothers I support #bharathbandh Raised fist Farm laws need to be revoked and Justice should be done to our Farmer Brothers Raised fist Agree = Retweet Down pointing backhand index #i_stand_with_farmers #FarmerProtest #NoFarmersNoFood #AajBharatBandhHai _Rahega #AajBharatBandhHai."
The user posted an image of a lock and chain over the map of India to represent the nationwide stir.
"Farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale. No Farmer No Food Ear of rice Ear of rice Ear of rice Ear of rice I stand with Our Farmer Brother," said @MukeskkumarsRES.
Another Twitter user @TiwanaAmann shared an image of Muslims and Sikhs praying at a protest site, side by side, and wrote: "It feels so proud to see how this movement has made people united all over the world . Nobody might have thought farmers would trend today."
User @VenkatBhandari3 used an image of a plough figuratively locking the 'door of India' and tweeted: "Farmers are backbone of country they give us food on plate but they get tear gas,water canons and sticks on them #ISTANDWITHFARMER #AajBharatBandhHai."
"Farmers play a vital role in the Earth's Foodsystem, without them human race's survival is difficult. #FarmBills is also a huge threat towards the global food security. Let us support #BharatBandh," wrote user @KTRTRS.
"I am a Panjabi, I am a farmer Tractor? ?I grew up in a village as a farmer, my whole village in Panjab is a farming community ! ? ? I will ALWAYS stand with my people Raised fistRaised fist? ? #IamAFarmer #SonOfPanjab #StandWithFarmers #Farmers #FarmerProtest #TractorToTwitter," tweeted @RaviSinghKA.
User @Sardarn57844700 shared a poster with a message: "The whole county stands with Annadata'."
Finally Thumbs upThumbs upThumbs up
— Jowanjot Kaur (@JowanjotKaur) December 8, 2020
Worldwide trending on number 1#आज_भारत_बंद_है @b_kumar07 @HansrajMeena@Kittupmaurya @kisanITCeel @PDhounsi@DiIjit_Dosanjh @diljitdosanjh@pawankumar4697 @DevprakashIRS @maryadaambedkar @Kush_voice @HansrajMeena pic.twitter.com/MtwH4h0r6T
#आज_भारत_बंद_है pic.twitter.com/zzXKwjJkWx
— DILJIT DOSANJH (@diljitdosanjh) December 8, 2020
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'Rear-guard action': BJP over Mamata accepting sports minister's resignation after Messi event
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Tuesday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's accepting Aroop Biswas' resignation as the state sports minister is nothing but a "rear-guard action" to douse public anger over the mismanagement of football icon Lionel Messi's event last week.
BJP co-in-charge for West Bengal Amit Malviya alleged that this is also an "open confession" that the Messi event fiasco was not accidental but a government-manufactured disaster, borne out of the poor governance of Banerjee, her ministers and the state bureaucracy.
Banerjee on Tuesday accepted Biswas' resignation as the sports minister in the wake of the controversy over the mismanagement of football icon Messi's event last week, a senior leader of the ruling TMC said.
Biswas, who had written to the chief minister seeking to be relieved of his responsibilities as sports minister, will continue as a cabinet minister, retaining charge of the power department.
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Reacting to the development, Malviya said in a post on X, "TMC Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigns after the Messi fiasco and Mamata Banerjee accepts it in record time."
"Do not mistake this for accountability; this is nothing but a rear-guard action to douse public anger. anger! This is not 'Raj Dharma'," he added.
The BJP leader alleged that the incident was the outcome of "loot" of common people which is "so synonymous" with the TMC.
The incident was also the outcome of the "shameless VIP culture that TMC thrives on and deep-rooted cronyism promoted by Banerjee," he charged.
Malviya further alleged that Biswas' resignation exposes a "collective failure of Mamata Banerjee, her partisan bureaucracy, and her crony cabinet".
"This is a symbolic sacrifice, a political hoax, soon to be buried under layers of bureaucracy, with no justice, no accountability, and no remorse," the BJP leader said, adding, "No resignation will bring back the time lost, the money wasted, or the stolen chance for football lovers to witness Messi in Kolkata."
