The symbolic power in returning an honour

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Editor's note: It’s been a crazy year so far. It started with the protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act, which led to communal riots and loss of lives. Then came the mother of all health emergencies in the form of COVID-19, sending the country into lockdown mode and the economy into a tailspin. Before that could even abate, angry farmers began to mass on Delhi’s borders, threatening to shut down the nation’s capital. These farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been knocking on Delhi’s door for almost two weeks now in the hope that the government will address their grievances. They have laid siege to several of the city’s key entry points, with tractors and trucks serving as their makeshift shelters.  The government’s response? The farmers were first greeted by stick-wielding policemen, water cannons and verbal jibes. Much later came negotiations, which after multiple rounds have failed to make headway even as the agitation continues to grow with each passing day. The farmers are standing their ground against three laws—the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, …