SKM suspends leader for 15 days after radical Sikh groups object

BATHINDA: The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) suspended farm leader Ruldu Singha Mansa for 15 days on Sunday, taking serious note of his utterances about Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale and banned pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice functionary Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
On Saturday, radical Sikh groups had taken note of Mansa’s words and asked SKM to act against him or they will oppose the morcha. The groups included Dal Khalsa and Sikh Youth Federation Bhindrawale.
Mansa, on the other hand, maintained that he had not spoken anything against Bhindrawale. During the suspension, Mansa will not be allowed to share any SKM stage and he will also not be allowed to hold any press conference as an SKM leader.
The decision was taken in a meeting of 32 farm organisations held at Singhu border on Sunday evening, with SKM leader Harinder Singh Lakhowal in the chair.
Lakhowal and SKM leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, while addressing from the SKM stage, said Mansa used derogatory words for Sikhs and Sikh leadership. The farm organisations have decided to suspend him for 15 days, they said.
Mansa had said that leaders sitting away had been luring and provoking youths, and Punjab had to lose 25,000 people during the militancy period. While saying this, he had apparently used derogatory words for the leaders.
Before Mansa, SKM had suspended Haryana-based farm unionist Gurnam Singh Charuni for a week for asking Punjab farm leaders to jump into elections. Earlier, Surjit Singh Phool had been suspended for a week.