Farmers Movement Archive

Deep Sidhu blamed for violence at Red Fort: All you want to know about this Punjabi actor

NEW DELHI: Farmer leaders have alleged that Punjabi singer and actor Deep Sidhu instigated protesters and led them to the iconic Red Fort and hoisted flags at the 17th-century monument. 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 streets against the three laws. Sidhu claims to be a supporter of strengthening the federal structure to give more rights to states. He has long been openly quoting Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Read AlsoRed Fort raider Deep Sidhu has been quoting Jarnail Singh BhindranwalePunjabi 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.Last month, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) 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 joining the show business in 2015. Sidhu also did a Facebook live while hoisting the pennant from the ramparts of the Red Fort. In the video, Sidhu said in Punjabi, "We have only hoisted the Nishan Sahib flag at the Red Fort while exercising our democratic right to protest." 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.Deep Sidhu belongs to Muktsar in Punjab. He had held a prolonged protest at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana, where accusations of Khalistani elements running the protests had been made. During 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. However, Deol distanced himself from Sidhu in a tweet, saying he or his family had no relationship with him. "I am deeply saddened by what happened at the Red Fort today. On December 6 itself, I had clarified on Twitter that I and my family have nothing to do with Deep Sidhu. Jai Hind," Deol wrote on Twitter. आज लाल क़िले पर जो हुआ उसे देख कर मन बहुत दुखी हुआ है, मैं पहले भी, 6 December को ,Twitter के माध्यम से यह साफ कर… https://t.co/X4YBSUmpkL— Sunny Deol (@iamsunnydeol) 1611679589000 Leaders across the political spectrum condemned the violence and the Red Fort incident. Congress' Shashi Tharoor saying he supported the farmers' protests from the start but cannot condone "lawlessness". Read AlsoWhat is Nishan Sahib? It’s found flying atop every gurdwaraWas a Khalistani flag hoisted at Red Fort? No, it was a Sikh flag which is found in every gurdwara and people carry it almost invariably during religious processions. In gurdwaras, it is hoisted at a height with a ‘khanda’ (a doubleedged sword). The flag flies at the top of this and is called NishanSwaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav, who is among the leaders spearheading the agitation, said Sidhu had been disassociated "from our protest right from the beginning".

The Times of India

2021-01-27

India