Expressing solidarity with the agitating farmers over the Centre's farm laws, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday returned his Padma Vibhushan award in protest against "the betrayal of the farmers by the government".

91-year-old Badal, in a missive to President Ram Nath Kovind, said he was returning the award due to "the shocking indifference and contempt with which the government was treating the ongoing peaceful and democratic agitation of the farmers against the three farm Acts".