Important to keep farmers upbeat: Veteran players

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

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Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 31

To cheer up the sagging morale of farmers protesting at the borders for the last two months, the Punjab Wrestling Association will again organise wrestling competitions at the Singhu border from February 3.

Arjuna Awardees Kartar Singh, Rajbir Kaur and Sajjan Singh Cheema and Olympians Gurmel Singh and Davinder Singh Garja have announced their support after the Red Fort incident.

They said the incident was unfortunate but it was an act to put the farmers’ movement in bad light.

“We support farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal. To infuse more energy, motivation and power in farmers and youngsters and who are spending days and nights at the Delhi borders, wrestling competitions will be organised,” they said.

The competitions are being organised to make the atmosphere at the border lively, hopeful and cheerful. The organisers said several national and international wrestlers will be joining the event.

The farmers present at the border will bless players before every fight.

Association president Kartar Singh Pehelwan said history tells us that to destroy the cruelty of the powerful and create a peaceful society, the 6th Guru Har Gobind Singh wanted youngsters to be full of energy and motivation. So, he started an akhara outside the Akal Takht, where several pehelwans would visit and perform.

“Our farmers, too, are fighting the cruelty of the Central Government, and a plethora of youngsters can be seen marking their presence. So, it is very important to keep them upbeat, which is why we decided to organise such events,” he said.

Kartar Singh said farmers were away from their homes and were living in such harsh conditions, which is why such steps were being taken to boost their morale.

Earlier too, Kartar Singh along with several other international players had announced to return the awards to the President.

Wrestling contest at Singhu from Feb 3

• Arjuna Awardees Kartar Singh, Rajbir Kaur and Sajjan Singh Cheema and Olympians Gurmel Singh and Davinder Singh Garja have announced their support to farmers after the Red Fort incident.
• To boost up the sagging morale of farmers protesting at the borders, wrestling competitions will be organised under five categories and different titles. The titles are — Bhai Jiwan Singh Ji (+90 kg), Bhai Sati Das Ji (90 kg), Bhai Mati Das Ji (80 kg), Bhai Dyala Ji (70 kg), Bibi Bhikha Kaur (+60 kg).
• The competition will commemorate the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur.
• Apart from organising the competitions, the family members of those who lost their lives in this ongoing movement will also be honoured by the Punjab Wrestling Association.