Parkash Singh Badal, MP Sukhdev Dhindsa Return Padma Awards Over Betrayal Of Farmers

Akali Dal leader and former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has become the latest and most high-profile personality to return his honours to protest against the Centre's new farm laws.

Badal on Thursday returned his Padma Vibhushan award, the country's second-highest civilian honour which he received in 2015.

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In a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind, said he was returning the award due to "the shocking indifference and contempt with which the government was treating the ongoing peaceful and democratic agitation of the farmers against the three farm Acts".

"I am who I am because of the people, especially the common farmer. Today when he has lost more than his honour, I see no point in holding on to the Padma Vibhushan honour," said the Akali stalwart in his letter to President Ram Nath Kovind.

Badal, in his letter to the President, further described the "the black laws now implemented by the government" as "the proverbial last nail in the coffin of the country's annadata."

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Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic) chief and rebel Rajya Sabha member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa also announced that he would be returning his Padma Bhushan award in solidarity with the farmers who are protesting central farm laws.

Dhindsa was presented the Padma Bhushan by President Ram Nath Kovind in March 2019.

SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal said his father Parkash Singh Badal has sent a strong message to the union government by returning his Padma Vibhushan award "as a sign of protest" against the government.

"Parkash Singh Badal fought for his whole life for farmers. If you look at the whole country, he is the tallest farmer leader and all his life he struggled for them."

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"He even spent 16 years in jail. So, he felt that to send a strong message to the government and for them to immediately talk to the farmers, he returned the Padma Vibhushan award. The farmers do not need these new farm laws. Why is the government of India forcing these laws on them? It is a sign of strong protest," he told ANI.

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

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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.