Updated: December 9, 2020 2:55:42 pm
Kings XI Punjab cricketer and Punjab captain Mandeep Singh (seated third from left) with farmers protesting against agricultural laws at the Singhu border near New Delhi on Tuesday. (Express photo)
For the first time for any national cricketer since farmers’ protests against the three farm laws began, Punjab captain Mandeep Singh spent a day with farmers on the Singhu border near Delhi on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old, who had played for Kings XI Punjab in this year’s IPL, arrived in Delhi with his older brother Harvinder Singh and three friends on Monday evening and returned to Jalandhar on Tuesday evening.
Waheguru mehar kari! Sat jaldi theek hove 🙏🏽🙏🏽 #FarmersProtest # Tractor2Twitter #No FarmersNoFood pic.twitter.com/Ja7OIjDRj8
– Mandeep Singh (@ mandeeps12) December 9, 2020
“I was moved to see old people and farmers protesting on the borders of Delhi and so I decided to support them. The farmers have the hearts of lions and have been peacefully protesting against the farm laws and I just wish their demands are met as soon as possible and the issue resolved so they can return to their homes … in any way we can, we are there to farmers, ”Mandeep said while talking to The Indian Express on his way back to Jalandhar.
Mandeep, who has played in three T20Is for India so far and has played 104 IPL matches in his career, had lost his father, 68-year-old former athletics coach Hardev Singh in October. The Punjab captain was playing IPL in UAE at the time. He returned to India after the completion of the IPL league stage with Kings XI Punjab withdrawing from the tournament and has been practicing at Jalandhar for the yet to be announced national competitions.
“While I was away, I read about the farmers’ protests online and also shared some posts that supported them on social media. Spending a day with farmers, who come not only from Punjab, but also from states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, I heard their opinions. It is already winter in North India and many of them are sleeping under carts or spending the night on the road. We can only pray that the problems are resolved as soon as possible, ”he added.
Meanwhile, the former athletes, who have been camping in Delhi since Saturday, have again written to President Ram Nath Kovind to grant them an audience so they can return their national awards before December 12. The athletes, led by Padma Shri and former Arjuna-winning wrestler Kartar Singh, and including Arjuna-winning hockey player Rajbir Kaur, 1980 Moscow Olympics gold medalist hockey player Gurmail Singh, and others had addressed the farmers’ protest at the Singhu border on Sunday. Bronze medalist boxer at the 2008 Beijing Olympics Vijender Singh had also joined them and had announced the return of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.
“We had sent a letter to Rashtrapati Bhawan on December 2 and we had requested an appointment with President Ram Nath Kovind and we had sent a reminder request on December 6. When we marched towards Rashtrapati Bhawan on Monday, the Delhi police stopped us. We have gone so far to return the awards and also the awards of those who could not come due to poor health, and we have again requested an audience with the honorable president before December 12, “said Kartar Singh, 63 years old. who had retired as Inspector General of the Punjab Police.
© The Indian Express (P) Ltd
.
