Ruldu Singh Mansa ਭੜਕੇ ਵਾਟਰ ਕੈਨਨ ਦਾ ਮੂੰਹ ਮੋੜਨ ਵਾਲੇ Navdeep Singh ਅਤੇ Mandeep Punia ‘ਤੇ

Sixteen farmer organisations from Punjab who met on Sunday to decide on the next season, have rejected the schedule issued by state government for starting paddy transplantation in the state.

They have asked the AAP government to review the decision and allow paddy transplantation from June 10 or they would announce follow-up action in a joint meeting on May 20. Farm groups made the announcement after a meeting with Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) CMD Baldev Singh Sra. The groups stated that zoning of the state and taking the start of paddy transplantation till last week of June was unacceptable.

The state agriculture department on Friday had issued a notification under the Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act, 2009, dividing Punjab into four zones and allowing paddy transplantation in zone 1 from June 18, and from June 22, 24 and 26 in zones 2, 3 and 4. Plantation through direct seeding of rice (DSR) has been allowed from May 20.
Farmer leaders Buta Singh Burjgill and Ruldu Singh Mansa said they feared loss of yield due to delayed transplatation. Farmers already have suffered losses in wheat yield.
They said apart from this, PSPCL ad

Already left with a few farm groups, who had decided to take the electoral plunge with the formation of a farmers’ political front, the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) is now staring at deeper crisis as internal feuds have surfaced among the farmers groups taking the electoral route.
Facing division in the farm organisation, Punjab Kisan Union has withdrawn its candidate, Gurnam Singh, from Mansa assembly segment.

Though technically he will remain in the fray and his name will feature on electronic voting machine (EVM) as a contesting candidate, Gurnam Singh will not campaign or contest. It is learnt that a number of leaders of the organisation had revolted against the decision of contesting. Buckling under pressure, the organisation decided to withdraw its candidate to avoid division.

Union president Ruldu Singh Mansa, however, has stated the decision (of withdrawing the candidate) has been taken against bail to Ashish Mishra, son of Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra in the Lakhimpur Kheri case.
Big farm groups — BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), BKU (Ekta Dakaunda), BKU (Ekta Sidhupur), BKU (Lakhowal), Krantkari KIsan Union Punjab, BKU (Krantikari) — had already distanced themselves from Sanyukt Samaj Morcha. BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) has decided to hold a state-level rally at Barnala on February 17 against political parties, including SSM, asking people to get ready for struggles.

Speaking to TOI, Ruldu Singh said, “We were angry over how BJP used its influence and the case was not properly pleaded in court due to which Ashish Mishra got bail and the way the furlough has been given to Dera Sacha Sauda head. We decided to withdraw our candidate and hold protests against PM Narendra Modi during his visits to Punjab in coming days.”

Likewise, issues have surfaced in BKU (Mansa) whose activists had asked union president Bogh Singh to review the decision of contesting elections.
It is learnt that farmer organisation Majha Kisan Sangharsh Committee has witnessed division over the issue as some farm activists have formed a separate union BKU (Majha).