Hon’ble Rashtarpati Ji,
You are well aware of the agitation by the farmers in which farmers of Punjab are playing a leading role and farmers from other states have also joined them.
Sir, those very farmers of Punjab, who played most crucial role in making India self-sufficient in its food requirements, are now sitting on the border of Delhi to impress upon the Government of India to take back the three Farm laws – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
It has been causing me immense pain and anguish that first force was used against the farmers as they started their march to reach Delhi. Despite all the provocations by Haryana Police they remained completely peaceful. Now lakhs of them, including the elderly men, women and children, are spending days and nights under the sky on the roads or grounds. Sir, let me tell you when our brothers, sisters and children are camping at the border of Delhi millions of Punjabis in India and across the globe are also remaining restless and can’t sleep properly. Our farmers are not just facing the cold weather but they are also being vilified, which is adding to the mental agony of all the Punjabis. However, we can get solace in the fact that strong voices to resent against this vilification campaign have emanated from across the country.
What our people are facing has been haunting me. Whatever I have achieved in my life is blessing of people my state and when thousands of them are suffering and have to stay on roads to impress upon the Government of India to meet their very just demands, millions of others are passing through mental agony, I think the least I can do is to return the Padma Bhushan Award bestowed on me in 2019 to express solidarity with my people and to protest against the treatment being meted out to them.
I have always remained indebted and grateful to Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi’s government for bestowing this great honour on me but now when people of my state and community are facing vilification campaign and hostile attitude – which can further lead to unleashing of hate campaign against them with dangerous consequences, I shall rather prefer to be with my people.
Sincerely Yours
Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa
