Ludhiana activist returns national award

To express solidarity with the protesting farmers and mark his protest against the central government, Ludhiana-based 24-year-old youth activist Gauravdeep Singh,

To express solidarity with the protesting farmers and mark his protest against the central government, Ludhiana-based 24-year-old youth activist Gauravdeep Singh, founder of NGO named Initiators of Change, returned the National Youth Award conferred on him by the Government of India in 2018 for his services.

Gauravdeep Singh (left) returning his award in Ludhiana

Gauravdeep has been working to create awareness among voters with Ludhiana district administration and chief electoral officer of Punjab for several years and has influenced thousands of youngsters with his words.

Gauravdeep, who has been with the farmers at Singhu border since November 27, had announced during the protest that he would be returning the award, and handed it over to additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Amandeep Singh Bains.

Gauravdeep said, “After working so closely with the election commission for years to create awareness on the right to vote, I was honoured by the Modi government with the National Youth Award on January 12, 2018. However, in the last one year, this government has not worked for its voters, but for the corporate houses of this country. The essence of democracy is the right to protest and the right to express, but the way this government has been suppressing the voices of dissent in recent times makes me feel that all my hard work to strengthen democracy has gone in vain. The farmers of my country have been treated like outsiders so as a young Indian, I feel disrespected and less optimistic about my faith in the current government. Farmers have been brutally attacked and denied the right to enter their own national capital.”