Agricultural scientist Dr Varinderpal Singh refused to accept an award from a Union minister on Monday, in solidarity with farmers protesting against the new laws.
Singh is the principal soil chemist at the Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana. At an event in New Delhi on Monday, the Fertiliser Association of India awarded him for his contributions on plant nutrition. The awards were being handed out by Union chemicals and fertilisers minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda.
When Singh’s name was announced, he came up on stage, but refused to accept the award – saying his conscience would not allow it.
“I wish that we shall work together for the nation and the government shall listen to our dear farmers. The work I did is only for the farmers and our nation, so I feel I would be guilty if at this moment I receive this award,” he said.
Gowda urged Singh to accept the award several times, but he refused. Later, he wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi explaining his decision.
“My conscious [conscience] does not allow me to receive this award from any government official, because of unnecessary pains given by the GOI [Government of India] to the peacefully protesting Indian farmers (sic),” Singh’s letter to Modi said.
While slamming the new laws, Singh lauded protesting farmers for their continuing peaceful protest. “It is highly heartbroken [heartbreaking] that national media is rating the Ann Datta [food provider] or his supporters as terrorists,” he wrote.
The scientist also wrote to Gowda. Accepting a farmer “for the sake of professional benefit would be a betrayal” to the farmers and the country, Singh said in that letter.
