Global pop icon Rihanna called international attention to the ongoing Farmers’ protest in India on Tuesday. The 32-year old used her influential twitter platform to call out the suspension of internet at the protest sites, that has been put in place to curb communication between protestors and render the protest less effective. She took the internet by storm without saying too much. “Why aren’t we talking about this?!” she tweeted.

With several thousand shares and retweets, the tweet caught global attention, attracting both support and resentment from citizens all over India. The most expected and quick slam reaction came from Actress Kangana Ranaut, who called the icon a ‘fool’ in her resentful tweet.

Rihanna’s tweet also received many thankful responses, including one from the Kisan Ekta Morcha handle, thanking the star for bringing the protest to global attention. At the same time, many stooped to new lows in expressing aggression against her, by congratulating Chris Brown on his assault of the pop-star.

Other celebrities also showed support to the movement and called out the human rights violation at the protest site.

How is the condition in Delhi?

International media handles repeatedly pointed out how cutting off access to internet services is a constitutional violation of human rights. Delhi Police, however, continued to block access. The protest site has been installed with barbed wires, nails, barricades and trenches in addition to suspension of internet, to curb the protest. Massive deployment of security forces can be seen around the city, and the police is denying entry to reporters and journalists.

“The government has turned these protest sites into open air prisons. They are treating farmers like foreign invaders. Even the British did not do that,” said P. Krishnaprasad, a leader of the All India Kisan Sabha.

The means to crush down the protest extended to the internet, where twitter blocked or withheld certain accounts, including the handle of the Kisan Ekta Morcha, that were helping spread information about the Farmers’ Protest.

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