Padma Shri, Arjuna Awardees Say They Will Return Awards To Protest Action Against Farmers

Several former sportspersons including Padma Shri and Arjuna awardees have extended their support to the agitating farmers and said they will return their awards in protest against the ¡°force¡± used against the peasants en route to Delhi.

ANI

A group of top sportspersons and coaches from Punjab said that they will lay siege to Delhi in solidarity with the state's farmers protesting against three of the central government's controversial farm ordinances.

Angry over use of force

Among them are Padma Shri and Arjuna awardee wrestler Kartar Singh, Arjuna awardee basketball player Sajjan Singh Cheema and Arjuna awardee hockey player Rajbir Kaur, often called "Golden Girl".

They were particularly angry at the the government's use of force against the protesting farmers and said they will proceed to Delhi on December 5 where they will place their awards outside the Rashtrapati Bhavan. They slammed the Centre and Haryana government for using water cannons and teargas against the protesting farmers to stop them from going to Delhi.

AFP

Using water cannons, tear gas unfair

"We are the children of farmers and they have been holding peaceful agitation for the past several months. Not even a single incident of violence took place. But water cannons and teargas shells were used against them when they were going to Delhi," said Olympic hockey player and Arjuna awardee Sajjan Singh Cheema. He was talking to the media at the Jalandhar Press Club on Tuesday.

BCCL

"If the turbans of our elders and brothers are tossed, then what will we do with our awards and honour? We are in support of our farmers. We do not want such awards and that is why we are returning the same," said Cheema.

BCCL

"Will return 150 awards"

"All the Padma and Arjuna awards, all medal will be returned by Punjab's sportspersons...there will be around 150 of them," said another of the speakers at the press conference.

BCCL

Over the past week, thousands of farmers, braving water cannons, tear gas and barricades of the Haryana police, have reached the borders of Delhi, to protest against the new laws passed by the Narendra Modi government in September. While some of them have managed to enter the city, the rest are sitting at the border areas, saying they are ready to do what it takes to see the end of the three farm laws passed by parliament earlier this year.