Lilly Singh Grammys mask proclaims support for Indian farmers

Singh wears mask reading ’I stand with farmers’ in wake of months-long protests in India

YouTuber and late night host Lilly Singh expressed solidarity with protesting farmers in India at the Grammys on Sunday night, wearing a face mask proclaiming her support on the red carpet.

Singh has previously posted viral TikTok videos explaining the Indian farmer protests to her followers, and at the awards ceremony wore a mask with the words “I stand with farmers” written on it.

Tweeting an image of herself wearing the mask, she wrote: “I know red carpet/award show pictures always get the most coverage, so here you go media.”

Thousands of farmers have been camped out on the outskirts of the Indian capital since November, demanding the repeal of a trio of laws that they fear will leave them at the mercy of corporations and eventually take away the minimum price they currently receive for their produce.

In her TikTok video in December, Singh said: “Stop! Did you know right now in India there is the largest human protest in history taking place. I’ve been talking a lot about farmers’ protest happening in India.

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“Long story short, farmers are protesting new agriculture bills that affect their livelihood and they have been peacefully protesting but have met with not so peaceful responses.”

Indian actor Swara Bhasker lauded her for taking the issue to the Grammys.

Concerns have been raised over how the police have responded to the protests, with officers accused of brutally cracking down on rallies, restricting media and other access to farmer camps and shutting down mobile internet in areas around the protest sites.

The Indian government says its agriculture reforms are much-needed and will benefit farmers, removing middlemen and allowing them to sell their produce to customers anywhere in the country. It has rejected international concerns about the safety of the protests as meddling, and at the same time accused domestic critics of trying to co-opt the protests for political ends.

Nonetheless, the singer Rihanna and climate activist Greta Thunberg are among those who have tweeted in support of the farmers internationally. India’s foreign ministry reacted sharply, saying the “temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is neither accurate nor responsible.”

India last week summoned the UK’s ambassador in Delhi over a debate on the farmer protests by several MPs. Indian foreign secretary “conveyed strong opposition to the unwarranted and tendentious discussion on agricultural reforms in India in the British Parliament”.