The latest turn of events from the Indian farmer protests has been disturbing to say the least. By all the means possible, the people anywhere in the world have the freedom of expression and all the rights constituted. The current tussle due to some controversial tweets on the farmer protests has been getting hotter with each passing day. Just as in the USA, Twitter has been facing the pressure from the Indian government to stop the so-called disinformation, the latest being the “all-celebrities posts” on the social media. Unfortunately, all these things add to the confusion, even creating suspicions over the ongoing protests. Straight from my college days in the millennium year of 2000 in my native areas like Korkai, Tiruchendur, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, I having a Master’s in computer applications have been using the Internet and its related platforms, all for using the beautiful and effective email communication, spreading the correct information and sharing social messages. But even then, my love of print media has been going on nonstop because I have been easily attracted to the newspapers, either Tamil or English right from my 1998 college days in Tiruchendur. Furthermore, my various observations and study point to the fact that the farmers from the Punjab region have been hard-working and innovative, contributing a lot to the farm produce. Hats off to them all! In fact our family and others have been into various and rigorous agriculture activities in Korkai, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and Tiruchendur. If all those protesting farmers are really genuine and serious-minded about their needs, they should not allow the possible vested interests to take advantage of the situation. The worrying fact that all those external elements may create disturbance and unnecessary tension in the region and even among the neighbourhoods cannot be taken lightly.
P Senthil Saravana Durai
Mumbai
