Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic) chief and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa announced on Thursday that he would return the Padma Bhushan award in protest against farm laws, ANI reported. 

Earlier in the day, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Parkash Singh Badal too returned the Padma Vibhushan award in protest against what he described as “betrayal of the farmers” by the Centre. Badal is a five-time former Chief Minister of Punjab. His party snapped ties with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition, while the three bills were being passed in the Parliament in September. 

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Farmers, chiefly from Punjab and Haryana, are protesting over the three laws. 

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Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa (84), a former SAD member, left the party last year and became the chief of its breakaway fraction — SAD (Democratic). He was awarded Padma Bhushan last year.