Farmers Movement Archive

Red Fort raider Deep Sidhu has been quoting Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale

BATHINDA: Punjabi actor-singer-activist Deep Sidhu, who farmer unions allege was responsible for taking youths towards Red Fort on Tuesday, has been making news from the beginning of the agitation since September last year. Famous for his role as a gangster in the Punjabi film ‘Jora Das Numberia’ in 2018, the 36-year-old was one of the first celebrities to support farmers when they took to the roads against the three laws. Before moving to the protest site at Singhu border, Deep Sidhu, who belongs to Muktsar in Punjab, had held a prolonged protest at Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana, where accusations of Khalistani elements running the protests had been made. Actor Deep Sidhu addresses farmers at Ghazipur during their 'Delhi Chalo' protest against the Centre's farm reform laws, in New Delhi. (PTI)Farmers protest: Live updatesDuring the Lok Sabha elections in May 2019, Deep Sidhu was in the news for being close to Bollywood actor-politician Sunny Deol, who contested from Gurdaspur as a BJP candidate. Deep Sidhu was seen participating in his campaign. However, Deol distanced himself from Sidhu in a tweet, saying he or his family had no relationship with him. Read AlsoRaid Fort: When rampaging mob took ramparts by stormChaos reigned at Red Fort on the 72nd Republic Day as the tractor rally by farmers went off the designated course and rolled into the iconic Mughal-era monument. Not only was the Nishan Sahib hoisted atop a minaret, but a mob vandalised the fort and pushed away from the cops on duty. As a result, 41A video clip featuring Deep Sidhu raising slogans at the Red Fort has also gone viral since Tuesday afternoon. Later, in a video on his Facebook account, Deep Sidhu said when genuine rights or concerns are not addressed, anger is bound to flare up in any protest. “We cannot accuse any individual for whatever happened. Protests as big as this are not dependent on an individual. We reached Red Fort to symbolically register our protest, to exercise our democratic right and not to challenge the unity and diversity of the country. We have put up Nishan Sahib and Kisan flag on an empty post. The Tricolour was not removed. No one should see it in a communal light. It was part of unity in diversity. Nishan Sahib symbolises the fight against injustice,” it said. Read AlsoDeep Sidhu & government agencies behind rampage: Farm netasFarm leaders on Tuesday evening blamed the Majha-based Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee and Deep Sidhu - who had led a group to Red Fort - for the violence in the national capital and termed the entire episode as “the handiwork of some central agencies” to defame the farmers’ struggle.He was till recently close to gangster-turned activist Lakha Sidhana who was seen trying to pacify protesting youths on Monday at Singhu border and objected to the route of the rally allowed by the police. Sidhu, who claims to be a supporter of the idea of strengthening the federal structure to give more rights to states, has long been openly quoting Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. The NIA had last month registered a case against Sikhs for Justice and had also issued notices to Sidhu and his brother Mandeep Singh. Considered close to Sikh ideologue Ajmer Singh, Sidhu practised as a lawyer before he joined the show business in 2015.

The Times of India

2021-01-27

India