By Showing solidarity with ongoing farmers’ protest, eminent Punjabi poet Surjit Patar has decided to return his Padma Shri to the Union Government in protest over farm bills.
Four days back, former Union Minister and five-time Chief Minister of Punjab Parkash Badal returned the Padam Vibhushan award in protest against “the betrayal of the farmers by the Government of India.”
In a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind, Badal 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”.
Incidentally, SAD (Democratic) chief and rebel Rajya Sabha member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa has also announced that he would be returning his Padma Bhushan award.
There has been much anger in Punjab over the farm Bills, which the farmers want the government should roll back the decision.
The protesting farmers have sought a special session of Parliament for the repeal of the Centre’s three farm laws.
