'Got paid?': Guru Randhawa faces backlash for supporting farmers' protests
What's the story
As farmers intensify their protests at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders, singer Guru Randhawa has come out in support of the agricultural community.
He took to X (formerly Twitter) to call on the Indian government to listen to the grievances of these farmers.
"Farmers provide food to every household in our country. Their voices need to be heard," he wrote in one of his posts.
However, his posts were met with backlash from netizens.
Defense
'I belong to a farmer family': Randhawa defended his stance
Randhawa's posts drew criticism from a section of social media users, who accused him of supporting farmers for money. "Did you get paid? Or was it a threat?" one user commented.
This prompted him to clarify his position.
Responding to a user questioning his motives, Randhawa said he comes from a "farmer family" and is thus standing with the farming community.
He further stressed that he was only asking the government to listen to the farmers' needs before making decisions.
Twitter Post
Look at Randhawa's post here
I am from a farmer
— Gurufamily myself mere bhai, se kuch nhi
Dono meinmila 🙏❤️
Sirf request kar raha hoon as Indian
Khush raho , pta nhi laggraha hai kya ho raha hamare desh mein. Kuch bhi likho nafrat to milni hi hai
Khush raho bhai ❤️ https://t.co/t0Z5R7BLbERandhawa (@GuruOfficial) December 15, 2024
Ongoing agitation
Farmers' demands and planned protests
The ongoing protests by farmers at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders mainly revolve around demanding a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crops.
Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur) president Jagjit Singh Dallewal has even gone on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border in support of the demands.
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced a tractor march outside Punjab on Monday and a 'Rail Roko' in Punjab on Wednesday.
Expanded demands
Farmers' additional demands and previous protests
Apart from MSP, the farmers are also demanding a debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm laborers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases, and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
These protests come after a year-long sit-in by farmers from Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh at Delhi's borders until the Centre repealed three controversial laws.