India / India needs to be saved from new FDI - 'Foreign Destructive Ideology': PM Modi

New Delhi: The farmers' protest against the government's newly-enacted farm laws has gone international. Tweets by renowned pop-star Rihanna and Swedish climate-activist Greta Thunberg favouring the agitating farmers have stirred up a hornet's nest with the opposition parties calling it a hit at India's reputation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the Rajya Sabha on Monday, played on the term "Foreign Direct Investment or FDI".

"There is also a new FDI which is seen today, that is foreign destructive ideology we need to be aware of this," PM Modi said.

The PM said that India needs to be cautioned against deleterious influences from abroad that he referred to as "foreign destructive ideology".

PM Modi used the term in the context of the ongoing farmers' protest in the country that has, of late, received support from several global celebrities.

PM Modi also said, "In the last few years, we have witnessed a new category of protesters, 'Andolan jeevi', who one can witness in every agitation. We need to protect this country from these Andolan Jeevi, who are actually 'parjeevi'. They don't have their own strength, but they join all agitations."

The Prime Minister said the entire country was proud of the Sikh community, which is now mostly leading the farmers' protest.

"This country is proud of Sikhs," Modi said, referring to the community that mostly been at the vanguard of the protest. "What have the Sikhs not done for the nation?"