US-based billionaire Darshan Singh Dhaliwal, who was conferred with the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Samman’ clarified that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not apologise to him after some media reports claimed that Modi had “apologised” over his deportation from India in 2021 for allegedly supporting the farmers’ protest against the now-repealed three agriculture laws. “Elders never apologise. PM Modi is a man of big stature, and I respect him a lot. He said it’s my big heart that despite once being sent back, I came to India,” Dhaliwal was quoted as saying. He added, “It’s an honour for me to get felicitated with ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Award’…50 years ago people in foreign countries didn’t know about us but now India has become one of the world’s biggest power.” Dhaliwal was deported in October 2021, for allegedly arranging a langar for protesting farmers at Delhi’s borders. His brother is Akali Dal leader Surjit Singh Rakhra. After receiving the honour, Dhaliwal was quoted by the media saying, “PM Modi is really going out of his way to work with the Sikh community, both inside and outside India.” Earlier, Dhaliwal had claimed that Modi told him at a meeting in April 2022 in the presence of Union Minister Hardeep Puri, “Hum se galti ho gayi thi jo humne aap ko wapis bheja, aap ka baddapan hai ki hamare kehne par aap phir aye. He added, “PM Modi met me in front of 150 people at his residence.” The meeting that Dhaliwal was referring to was called ‘Sadbhavana: A Gesture of Goodwill’.