Punjabi actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, died on February 15 after his car hit a truck on Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway in Haryana’s Sonipat district, police said. The 37-year-old activist was said to be travelling from Delhi to Punjab when the incident occurred near Pipli toll plaza in Kharkhoda. Inspector Jaspal Singh said, “Deep Sidhu died in the accident. A female friend accompanying him was taken to a hospital where her condition was stable.” An investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident was underway, he said.
Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi tweeted, “Deeply saddened to learn about the unfortunate demise of renowned actor and social activist Deep Sidhu. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family and his fans.”
Who is Deep Sidhu?
Born in 1984 in Mukstar district of Punjab, Sidhu studied law before taking to acting. He started his career as a model and bagged his first film Ramta Jogi, produced by actor Dharmendra-led Vijeta films in 2015. However, he shot to fame in 2018 after playing a gangster’s role in “Jora 10 Numbaria” in 2018.
Sidhu was involved in farmers’ protest, which started in September 2020 to demonstrate opposition against the three farm bills introduced by the Centre. Sidhu’s role in the protests gained significance after his videos supporting the ‘ agitation that went viral on social media. He was accused of being the key conspirator of the violence during the Republic Day tractor rally by protesting farmers in 2021.
The Controversy Around Red Fort Violence on Republic Day
On Republic Day 2021, Delhi witnessed chaos as a tractor rally by farmers to protest against farm laws turned violent. A group of farmers from Singhu at the Delhi-Haryana border deviated from the planned route and tried to march towards Delhi, prompting the police to charge with their batons and lob tear gas shells.
A tractor overturned at the busy ITO crossing, killing a young protestor from Uttarakhand. Some protestors stormed the historic Red Fort and hoisted Nishan Sahib, a sacred Sikh flag. Sidhu was arrested on February 9 on charges of inciting protesters during the rally and later granted bail on April 17 after remaining in police custody for around 70 days.
He, however, had denied instigating protestors at the Red Fort and said that the flag was hoisted there “in a flow of emotions”. When asked why he went to the Red Fort when it did not figure in the route approved by authorities for the tractor parade, Sidhu claimed that since everybody was going, he too went there but had no “bad intentions”.
After the Red Fort incident, Sidhu posted a video on his Facebook page claiming, “We have only hoisted the Nishan Sahib at the Red Fort while exercising our democratic right to protest.”
Deep Sidhu’s Rumored Link to BJP
Sidhu faced opposition from farmers’ unions for working as “BJP-RSS agent”. In December 2020, he was barred by farmer organisation from speaking on stage over “diverting” attention. As per a MoneyControl report, his association with the BJP comes from the fact that he was part of the team hired by BJP MP Sunny Deol during his Gurdaspur election campaign in 2019. His pictures with Prime Minister Narendra Modi also surfaced social media.
Deol, however, took to Twitter to clarify that he has “no relation” with the actor-turned-activist.
Futher, Sidhu was often seen openly quoting slain Khalistani leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and was also facing a case under SC/ST act registered in October 2021 by the Jalandhar Police for hurting the sentiments of the Dalit community, an India Today report said.
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