Obviously didn't know very much: S Jaishankar on international celebs' tweets supporting farmers' stir

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said that that internatonal celebrities who had come out in support of the farmers' protests and tweeted in solidarity "obviously didn't know very much".

"There was a reason why Foreign Ministry reacted to statements which some celebrities gave out on matters on which they obviously didn't know very much," Jaishankar told news agency ANI.

Talking about the toolkit, the minister said, "It has revealed a lot. We've to wait & see what else comes out."

The Delhi Police on February 4 filed an FIR against the "pro-Khalistan" creators of a "toolkit", which was shared by teen climate activist Greta Thunberg and others on Twitter in connection with the farmers' protest, alleging it aimed to wage a "social, cultural and economic war against the Government of India".

Lending her support to the farmers' agitation, the teen activist had shared "a toolkit for those who want to help".

"Here's a toolkit if you want to help," tweeted Thunberg, which takes the user to a document containing details on ways to support the protest.

"The document 'toolkit' was aimed to spread disaffection and ill-will against the Government of India and creating disharmony among various social, religious and cultural groups," a Delhi Police official had said.

India had hit out at global celebrities such as singer Rihanna and Thunberg for their support of the farmers’ protests, the focus of a sharply polarised international debate that saw several Bollywood and cricket stars and top ministers rally around the government in its pushback.

"The temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is neither accurate nor responsible," the Ministry of External Affairs had said in a curt statement.

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"We would like to emphasise that these protests must be seen in the context of India's democratic ethos and polity, and the efforts of the government and the concerned farmer groups to resolve the impasse," the statement said.

Asserting that "before rushing to comment on such matters, we would urge that the facts be ascertained, and a proper understanding of the issues at hand be undertaken", the ministry said the "temptation of sensationalist" social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is "neither accurate nor responsible".

(With inputs from PTI)