Chandigarh: Former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal became the first to return his award in protest against the treatment of the protesting farmers by the Central government. The 92-year-old returned his Padma Bibhushan award — the second highest civilian honour of the country — that he received from the government in 2015.
Mr Badal, whose Shiromani Akali Dal has pulled out of the NDA alliance over the farmers’ protest, said he was registering his protest against the government’s “betrayal of farmers”.
A group of top sportspersons and coaches from Punjab have said they will return their awards and march to Delhi on December 5 in solidarity with the farmers.
“They have been holding peaceful agitation for several months. But water cannons and teargas shells were used against them,” Olympic hockey player and Arjuna awardee Sajjan Singh Cheema had said. (Agency)
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