Several former sportspersons including Padma Shri and Arjuna awardees have extended their support to the farmers and said they will return their awards. They slammed the Centre and Haryana government for using water cannons and teargas against the protesting farmers to stop them from going to Delhi.
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. They said they will proceed to Delhi on December 5 and place their awards outside the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
“We are the children of farmers and they have been holding peaceful agitation for the last 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. If 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.
“If farmers do not want such laws, then why is the central government imposing it on them,” asked Singh, who has retired as Inspector General in the Punjab Police. Singh said they are trying to contact former players in Haryana to come out in support of farmers’ agitation. Cheema said several former players including Kaur and Arjuna awardee (shotput) Balwinder Singh have backed them.
