Ministers, officials reach out as ex-servicemen join protest

New Delhi: Senior ministers and government officials have started reaching out to ex-servicemen’s organisations following the Centre’s concern over several retired Army personnel joining farmers’ protests and expressing support to their agitation against the three central farm laws. According to sources, the government is trying to persuade ex-servicemen from participating in the protests.

“I have received three calls in the past one week, two from defence ministry and one from the Army headquarters,” Sabka Sanik Sangharsh Committee (SSSC) general secretary Naik Harpal Singh said. “They were trying to convince me that the bills were beneficial to farmers and we should spread more awareness on the bills. I said that farmers were aware of what’s happening around and they know what’s good for them.” SSSC members had joined farmers at Singhu border and also announced return of gallantry medals to the President as a mark of protest. “We tried to reach Delhi for returning our medals twice but we were detained,” Harpal Singh added.

“As an organisation we are not in favour of any such participation. But we can’t stop people participating on an individual level,” an official of Haryana ex-serviceman league told ET about the government’s move. Members of Indian Veterans Organisation (IVO), an ex-Army group had also come in support of farmers at Singhu border on December 16. A group of army veterans in Amritsar had collected money in December to support protests at the Singhu border. SSSC plans to organise a bike rally in support of farmers on January 26 in different parts of Punjab.