Aam Aadmi Party workers on Saturday held protests across Punjab against the Shiromani Akali Dal, accusing it of circulating a “fake” video to defame Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
AAP ministers, MLAs, senior leaders and party workers staged demonstrations at several places. They accused the SAD of misusing religion, spreading propaganda and trying to mislead the people of Punjab for political gain.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the protests were organised against what he described as the SAD’s “anti-Panth” and “anti-Punjab” activities.
Speaking in Mohali, Cheema said "Today, Aam Aadmi Party 'karyakartas' come out on the streets not only in Mohali but across Punjab to register their protest against such forces. The people of Punjab are fully aware of these conspiracies and will never allow those who have repeatedly harmed the interests of the
state.”
The controversy centres around a video that allegedly features Mann. On June 15, the Akal Takht issued an edict to the Chief Minister over the clip. In January, Mann had been summoned by the Akal Takht over allegations that he made remarks on ‘Guru ki Golak’ (gurdwara donation box) and was involved in objectionable acts with pictures of the Sikh Gurus and slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the video.
On Monday, the Akal Takht declared Mann a ‘Guru Dokhi’ and ‘Khalsa Panth virodhi’ over the clip. Mann has dismissed the video as propaganda aimed at tarnishing his image. Opposition parties, meanwhile, have demanded his removal from the post of Chief Minister.
On Saturday, Cheema said Punjab had seen unprecedented development under Mann’s leadership. He said the government had given jobs to the youth in a transparent manner. Sports grounds were being developed in villages to channel the energy of young people in a positive direction.
Cheema also said construction and repair work on nearly 45,000 km of roads was underway. He added that children in government schools were receiving quality education and households were benefiting from 300 units of free electricity every month. He claimed this “historic” development had unsettled the opposition parties.
Cheema alleged that the Shiromani Akali Dal, unable to digest the pace of development in Punjab, had now resorted to cheap politics. He accused the party of trying to circulate a fabricated video on social media to damage the Chief Minister’s clean image.
The AAP leader said his party would expose the SAD’s conspiracy and make it clear that politics based on lies and deception would not be accepted. He added that AAP workers across Punjab were united against the campaign and would not allow any conspiracy to disturb the state’s peace, progress and social harmony.
In Hoshiarpur, protesters gathered outside the party office in Model Town and later marched to a nearby private hotel, where they burnt effigies of the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal).
Speaking to reporters, Urmar MLA Jasvir Singh Raja Gill alleged that doctored videos were being circulated to damage the Chief Minister’s image and mislead the people of Punjab.
Also read: Bhagwant Mann caught on wrong foot on his own pitch
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