“Every ingredient of those pizzas is made by the farmers"
Diljit Dosanjh has spoken out against the netizens who were criticising the farmers’ protest after pizzas were distributed among demonstrators.
The actor and singer has been very vocal during the ongoing protests, even turning up at Delhi’s Singhu border to address the farmers.
Thousands of farmers in India have been protesting against the government’s new farming laws.
The government has said the laws will benefit farmers, however, farmers fear that the laws will dismantle the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations.
Pictures went viral of hundreds of pizzas being distributed among protestors.
Shanbir Singh Sandhu and four of his friends organised the feast for the farmers and said that those who provide the dough for the pizzas can have one.
Shanbir, a farmer himself, had said: “The farmers who gave the dough for pizzas can also afford to have one themselves.
“We didn’t have much time to organise a regular lentils-chapatti langar. So we came up with this idea.”
Around 400 pizzas were distributed within minutes as farmers and even nearby residents enjoyed them.
Dubbed the ‘Pizza Langar’, the gesture invoked a mixed response. Some praised Shanbir’s initiative.
One tweet read: “Every ingredient of those pizzas is made by the farmers, from scratch. So go to hell everyone who thinks the farmers aren’t bloody entitled to eat them! #FarmersProtest.”
However, others claimed the protests had been hijacked. Many wondered how poor farmers could afford pizzas, questioning whether the farmers are protesting or “picnicking”.
One person said:
“Free pizzas for protesting farmers, massage chairs, is this a protest or a five-Star spa?”
“And who is paying for all this?#farmersProtestHijacked.”
Free pizzas for protesting farmers, massage chairs, is this a protest or a five-Star spa? And who is paying for all this?#farmersProtestHijacked pic.twitter.com/n0OmxE0j9M
— SRINIVAS BAJHRANGI (@SRINIVASBAJHRA1) December 12, 2020
The criticism of the farmers being served pizza prompted Diljit Dosanjh to issue a response to the trolls.
On December 14, 2020, he took to Twitter and shared a picture that read:
“Farmers consuming poison was never a concern but farmers eating pizza is news.”
Shaa Baa Shey ??
Badaa Didh Dukheya Tuadha Hain ? pic.twitter.com/u16Ti96AlN
— DILJIT DOSANJH (@diljitdosanjh) December 14, 2020
The tweet was in reference to how people were so concerned about farmers eating pizza but they remain uninterested when they consume poison.
Diljit referred to the fact that farmers in the past have taken their own lives due to not being able to pay off hefty loans.
One netizen agreed with Diljit, writing: “That’s a good point! They only see the pizzas that is being served to the protesters but they never saw many times when farmers took their lives!
“It’s a sad world that’s corrupted my people like Modi.”
Other celebrities who have publicly expressed their support for the farmers include Priyanka Chopra, boxer Amir Khan and Punjabi actor Gippy Grewal among others.
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