Former Chief Minister of Punjab and patron of Shiromani Akali Dal, Prakash Singh Badal returned his Padma Vibhushan in protest against the three farm laws and in protest against the treatment of the protesting farmers by the Central government.
In a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind, Badal said he was registering his protest against the government’s “betrayal of farmers”.
“I feel so poor that I do not have much else to sacrifice to express solidarity with the farmers’ cause,” he said.
“I owe everything to the farmers. I am who I am because of them. There is no point of holding on to honours if farmers are dishonoured. I am deeply pained by the betrayal on assurances given to farmers to address their apprehensions,” he wrote.
Earlier a group of top sportspersons and coaches from Punjab have said they will return their awards in solidarity with the farmers.
