Rihanna, the fourth most followed celebrity on Twitter with over 100 million followers, on Tuesday took to the microblogging site and showed her support for the Indian farmers. Post her tweet, Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg, Meena Harris, an American lawyer and niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris, actors Amanda Cerni, singers Jay Sean, Dr Zeus and former adult star Mia Khalifa voiced their support to the protesting farmers. And now American actress/singer Mary Millben has shown equal support for India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and for India’s farmers in a public statement. Taking to Twitter, she wrote, "Today, I join hands with my Indian brothers and sisters in the call for unity. I have faith in His Excellency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to improve the lives of Indian farmers through India’s new reforms.
Agriculture is a very important part of the world economic system. Farmers are the backbone of any country’s ecosystem. We must always take care of those who work the land (farmers) and those who protect the land (soldiers). Now is the time for ambassadors of peace to rise," said Millben.
India on Wednesday reacted sharply to these tweets with several Bollywood and cricket stars and top ministers rallying around the government in its pushback. The "temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments” is neither accurate nor responsible, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
Personalities including Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Lata Mangeshkar, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Karan Johar and others rallied around the government on social media using hashtags - #IndiaTogether #IndiaAgainstPropaganda as they reacted to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs on the issue.
These tweets advised people to not fall for "false propaganda" and support "an amicable resolution", rather than paying attention to anyone creating differences.
Speaking about Mary, she is one of the world’s new celebrated voices having performed for three consecutive U.S. Presidents (President George W. Bush, President Barack Obama, and President Donald Trump), international royalty, and world leaders. In addition, Mary has been featured at The White House, the United States Congress, the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), Off-Broadway, and in concert halls worldwide. A career rooted in cultural diplomacy, Mary has become a global voice in promoting peace and friendship through cultural engagement, and using music as a tool to unite and heal the world.
Mary carries a special place in her heart for India, the Indian-American community, and Indian communities across the world. Last year, India and Indian communities worldwide were introduced to Mary following her virtual performance of India’s National Anthem for India’s 74th Independence Day. Mary’s performance received global acclaim and has now been viewed by millions. November 2020, Mary’s relationship with India and global Indian communities deepened following her virtual performance of ‘Om Jai Jagdish Hare’ for the Diwali 2020 global observance, now nearing 1M views. With music for both performances by Grammy nominated composer Daryl Bennett alongside coaching from her beloved Hindi teacher and former Embassy of India First Cultural Diplomat Dr. Moxraj (Washington, D.C.), Mary has now become a household name in Indian homes all around the world.
Last year, Mary was also featured entertainment for the 2020 Nudge Inaugural Forum presented in partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation and The Skoll Foundation, and for the 2020 Indiaspora Philanthropy Summit – both events convening world leaders, stakeholders, and top philanthropists from India and the United States important to the U.S.-India relationship. Through her global platform, Mary has become an active player and cultural ambassador towards helping strengthen the U.S.-India relationship.
Mary is grateful to call India, the Indian-American community, and Indian communities across the world her new family.
