Banga MLA Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi announced his resignation from the post of chairman of the Punjab State Container and Warehousing Corporation (Conware) and relinquishing his Cabinet rank on Sunday.
Leaving Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Sukhi joined AAP in 2024. The two-time Akali MLA is facing a disqualification plea for defecting from the SAD to the AAP. The Bhagwant Mann government had appointed him the chairperson of the Conware in 2025, when he was also given the status of Cabinet rank. ("Cabinet rank status" means granting specific individuals — like MLAs, advisors, or chairpersons of corporations — the privileges, salary, and protocol of a full Cabinet Minister).
Sukhi made the announcement days after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had said that 169 sacred copies of the Guru Granth Sahib had been recovered by the Punjab Police's special investigation team at the gurdwara during the probe into the 328 missing 'saroops' (sacred copies) of the Sikh holy book.
In a video message on Facebook on Sunday, Kumar said he was hurt after some doubts were raised about the gurdwara in Nawanshahr.
"I have been coming here (the shrine) to seek the blessings of Raja Sahib. I feel that some doubts were raised towards the 'Darbar' (the shrine) a few days ago that the 'bhog' of 'Akhand Path Sahib' was not performed as per 'maryada' (religious code) and 'saroops' (of the Guru Granth Sahib) here were not as per 'maryada'."
"This has hurt the sentiments of the 'sangat' (devotees), including my own... For me, this (shrine) is the home of God. I today announce to relinquish the Cabinet rank status, given by the Punjab government, and resign from the post of the chairman of the Conware," said Kumar.
"I pray to God for giving me the strength that I could tell the truth here to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the AAP leadership," said Kumar.
"Of the 169 'saroops' found from a religious place near Banga in Nawanshahr, 139 have no official record. Only 30 'saroops' have a record...," Mann had said while addressing a gathering during the Maghi Mela in Muktsar on January 14. However, the management of the Rasokhana Shri Nabh Kanwal Raja Sahib gurdwara had countered the claims of the CM, claiming that all 'saroops' were accounted for.
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