IOA urges sportspersons to refrain from returning awards as Centre-farmers talks continue

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has now stepped into the row over sportspersons including Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardees returning their awards to express solidarity with the protesting farmers. In a statement released on Monday, the Olympic body has urged the athletes to not mix the national awards and farmers issue as they are '2 separate things'. Highlighting that government is currently holding discussions with farmers' unions, the IOA urged sportspersons to refrain from returning the honours. 

"The Government and the farmer leaders are in talks and we all are hoping for an early resolution and solution. Till such time let us have trust in our government and the farmer's leaders who are in dialogue," IOA President Narinder Batra said in a statement. 

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Several sportspersons including former captain of the Indian hockey team and two-time Olympian Pargat Singh have decided to return the national awards presented by the Centre. Apart from Singh, Arjuna awardees Sajjan Singh Cheema and Rajbir Kaur, Padma Shree awardee Kartar Singh, Olympic medallist Gurmail Singh and former cricket coach Rajinder Singh marched to the national capital on Saturday to return their awards to their President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Moreover, Olympian Vijender Singh has also threatened to return the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, - India's highest sporting honour - as he joined the farmers' protest on Sunday. 

Bharat Bandh on Tuesday

Addressing the media ahead of the Bharat Bandh call on Tuesday, the farmers' representatives have reiterated that it will be a 'peaceful' bandh. Protesting against the agriculture laws introduced by the Centre amid the discussions with Centre, farmers' unions have asserting that there will be a 'Chakka Jam' till 3 pm on Tuesday. The Bandh call issued by farmers has also been supported by several Opposition parties as they demanded the withdrawal of the three contentious agrarian laws. 

The impasse between the Centre and the farmers' unions continues as the fifth round of talks on Saturday ended inconclusively. The next round of deliberations has been scheduled for December 9. Addressing the media on Saturday, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar asserted that the Minimum Support Price system will continue, he expressed that the Centre's willingness to address concerns regarding this. Moreover, Tomar stated that the Union government will deliberate on all the demands of the farmers. He highlighted the initiatives of the Modi government for ensuring the welfare of farmers and reiterated that it had no intention of abolishing the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees. 

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