Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday rejected claims that he was the person seen in a video released by Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldip Singh Gargaj, who had labelled him as “Guru Dokhi” and “Panth Virodhi”.
Mann took a defiant stand, saying that the person in the controversial video was not him. In a video statement, he said while he has the utmost respect and reverence for the Akal Takht, its present-day officials, whom he described as political appointees, were serving their political masters by making false allegations against him.
“A false narrative is being created against me because the political bosses controlling the Akal Takht management want to defame me,” he said.
Earlier on Monday, the Akal Takht Jathedar had described Mann as “Guru Dokhi” and claimed that the video had been examined by two forensic laboratories and found to be genuine.
Based on these findings, he had asked the Sikh Sangat to refrain from associating with the Chief Minister. “The Akal Takht issued a Hukamnama against me even after I had stated earlier that the Takht had summoned me to its secretariat. The person in the video is not me,” Mann said.
“The height and other characteristics of the man in the video do not match mine. I am still surprised that people occupying such a high temporal seat of the Sikhs can act on the directions of their political bosses just to defame me,” he added.
Mann claimed that the allegations against him were false and politically motivated. He said those behind the accusations were getting nervous about the work he was doing to save Punjab’s farming, farmers, waters and youth.
“I consider the Akal Takht supreme, bow before its authority and cannot enter into any confrontation with it,” he asserted. In an indirect jibe, Mann said, “I am leaving this issue to Guru Nanak’s Sangat. They know how political appointments are made at the Akal Takht.”
It is pertinent to mention that Punjab is heading towards Assembly elections, with speculation that the Election Commission may announce poll dates for November 2026 rather than February 2027.
Also read: Akal Takht declares Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann ‘Guru Dokhi’
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