Arjuna Award, Padma Shree recipients to return awards to express solidarity with farmers

In a bid to express solidarity with the ongoing farmers' agitation, several artists and sportspersons have decided to return the awards that they have received from the Central government. These include Arjuna awardees Sajjan Singh Cheema and Rajbir Kaur, Padma Shree awardee Kartar Singh, Olympic medallist Gurmail Singh and former cricket coach Rajinder Singh. The call to return awards, as a mark of protest, comes despite the Centre initiating talks with the farmers' representatives. The athletes have stated that they will proceed to Delhi on December 5 and place their awards outside the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Addressing a press briefing on Wednesday, Krantikari Kisan Union President Dr Darshan Pal thanked artists and athletes for returning their awards and urged others to join the 'movement' as well.

"We are thankful to all the artists and sportspersons that have decided to return all the awards that they have received from the government on December 5. We also hope other artists and recipients of national awards return their awards to express solidarity with the farmers as a part of the movement," he said. 

READ | Farmers' Unions To Burn Effigies In Maha, Gujarat On Dec 5 In Protest Against Farm Laws

Former Basketball player and Arjuna awardee Sajjan Singh Cheema strongly criticised the use of water cannons and tear gas shells against the protesting farmers. "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," PTI quoted Cheema. 

READ | Tomar Pins Hope On Clause-wise Discussion Of Farm Laws Ahead Of Another Round Of Talks

Centre-farmers talks end inconclusively 

The third round of talks between Centre and farmers' representatives ended inconclusively on Tuesday, with the fourth round of deliberations being scheduled for Thursday. After the meeting on Tuesday, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar remarked that the discussions happened in an 'amicable' environment and added that the Centre appealed to the farmers to form a small committee, which they decided against. The unions have maintained that the agitation will continue until their demands are met. 

READ | Maha Farmers To Hold Protests On Dec 3 Against Farm Laws, Threaten To March To Delhi

Speaking to Republic TV right after the end of discussion on Tuesday, Narendra Tomar said, "The environment of discussions was amicable. It was decided that the next round of talks will be held day after tomorrow (Thursday) at 12 pm. We tried to explain that the laws are not against them and we also told them to form a small committee and have a discussion, but they wanted everyone to deliberate together. We said we have no problem with that."

READ | 'We Asked Them To Form A Small Committee': Union Agriculture Min On Talks With Farmers

The three-hour talks with farmers' unions ended inconclusively. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar, MoS Home Ministry Som Prakash and Union Minister Piyush Goyal represented the Centre in the meeting. Thousands of farmers protesting on the outskirts of Delhi have refused to move to the Burari Park, where the Centre has made arrangements for the protestors to continue their demonstrations peacefully. The farmers had rejected the proposal to shift citing Burari Park as an 'open jail'.