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Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticised the BJP for targeting senior AAP leader Atishi over alleged remarks on Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur. Mann said the comments being attributed to Atishi were never made by her.

 

Accusing the BJP of being anti-Punjab and anti-Sikh, Mann said in a post on X that the party’s anti-Punjab and anti-Sikh stance had once again been exposed.

 

He alleged that the BJP insulted the Sikh Guru by adding his name to a video of Atishi and attributing words to her that she never spoke.

 

Mann said the BJP should apologise to the Sikh community and the people of Punjab for what he called a shameful act. He added that the BJP has long indulged in politics based on religion and hatred, but said such tactics would not work in Punjab.

 

On Wednesday, BJP MLAs disrupted proceedings in the Delhi Assembly and forced an adjournment. They demanded the cancellation of Atishi’s membership, accusing her of disrespecting Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur.

 

Atishi, in response, accused the BJP of engaging in petty politics by dragging the name of the ninth Sikh Guru into the controversy.

 

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta alleged that Atishi made a “shameful and indecent” comment in the Assembly about the Sikh Guru. She urged Speaker Vijender Gupta to initiate action against the AAP leader.

 

In a post on X, Rekha Gupta said, “This shameful and undignified comment has hurt the sentiments not only of the Sikh community but also of the people of the entire country.” The BJP claimed Atishi disrespected Guru Tegh Bahadur during a special discussion on a three-day event organised by the Delhi government last November to mark the Guru’s 350th martyrdom anniversary.

 

In a video shared on X, Atishi said she was speaking about the BJP avoiding a discussion on pollution and protesting in the Assembly over the issue of stray dogs. She claimed the BJP deliberately added a false subtitle and inserted the name of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji into the clip.

 

The former Delhi Chief Minister also said she comes from a family where the eldest son has adopted Sikhism for generations. She said she would rather die than insult Guru Sahib.

 

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