Punjab actor says he supports protesting farmers

Deep Sidhu admired actor from Punjab, who is one of the many artists from the film and television industry of Punjab has expressed his solidarity with the protesting farmers. He has hogged the limelight by becoming one of the major voices from the protests.

New Delhi: The farmers have embarked on 'Dilli Chalo' march to protest against the three farm laws. Recently, a video from the ongoing Delhi Chalo farmers protests march went viral, where a protestor could be seen speaking in English, explaining why the farmers are protesting. He was later identified as Deep Sidhu.

Deep Sidhu is a Punjabi actor considered close to Bollywood star and Bharatiya Janta Party’s Gurdaspur MP Sunny Deol and his family. His movie 'Zora' was produced by Deol's production house Vijayta films with Dharmendra in a comic role. Sunny Deol’s campaign for Lok Sabha 2019 leaned heavily on a local team, which included Sidhu, to connect with the locals.

When protests around the farm Bills started gaining ground in Punjab, Sidhu started attending these gatherings. On September 25, bandh called by farmers’ bodies became a turning point when he along with other artists and activists gave a call for a dharna at Shambu border with Haryana.

Sidhu also came to Delhi to support farmers and on Saturday his video went viral where he says that farmer protest will impact geopolitics of South Asia.

In an interview with Etv Bharat, Sidhu tells that his statement in an interview with another journalist was misquoted. More than two dozen farmer unions are protesting for repealing farm acts and I am supporting them as a Punjabi. No one is trying to divert attention from the farmer movement. It is unfortunate that my statement was misquoted.

"Not everyone here is part of farmer union. People have come here to save their land. I have come here to save my land as well as our culture. People sitting in Delhi do not understand that Corporatization in agriculture field will take away our freedom and culture we have developed over centuries," said Deep Sidhu.

He also emphasized that these laws will strengthen corporates. Farmers will lose the sense of belongingness with their land which is like a mother to them. The corporate sector is dominating in health, education and other sectors but how will farmer exist in this culture, he added.

Sidhu also appealed to Govt to not isolate farmers, not use violent ways to curb protest and listen to their views and voices.