Chandigarh:
Coming out strongly against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Akal Takht has declared him ‘anti-Guru’ and asked the ‘panth’, or the Sikh community, to have nothing to do with him.
The Akal Takht is the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs.
Mann had been summoned by the Akal Takht and appeared before it on January 15 over his alleged objectionable remarks about Sikh devotees. The Takht had also questioned the AAP leader about a video in which a person resembling him was seen sprinkling alcohol on images of Sikh gurus.
The chief minister had denied the accusation and said the video was AI-generated. On Monday, it came to the fore that forensic tests had been done and the video was found to be genuine. The AAP then countered that the tests had not revealed whether the person in the video was indeed Mann.
Following a meeting of the five Singh Sahibs (high priests) the same day, Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj announced a verdict.
“We questioned the chief minister regarding the video and he claimed it was AI-generated. We asked him to give us proof of this but received no response for six months. We then had the video examined by two laboratories recognised by the Government of India, which revealed that the video is neither fake nor AI-generated. Today, the ‘panth’ took action and reached a decision on this matter,” Gargaj said.
The Jathedar said Mann lied while at the Akal Takht and has been declared guilty before the Guru or ‘anti-Guru’. “Sikhs have no expectations from the chief minister, and the ‘panth’ and followers of the Guru should have nothing to do with him,” he added.
Punjab Cabinet Summoned
In another significant action ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections next year, the Akal Takht has summoned the entire Punjab cabinet to appear before it on June 29 over passage of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill prescribed punishment up to life imprisonment for acts of sacrilege against the Sikh holy book.
“It is intolerable for anyone to challenge the Guru’s throne. Recently, the Punjab government introduced an Act without consulting the Sikh community, institutions, or the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s government acted obstinately, securing approval from the Legislative Assembly and the Governor. This law will cause a rift within the ‘panth’. The government has no authority to enact legislation concerning the ‘panth’,” Gargaj said.
Resignation Demand
Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said Mann should resign immediately.
“Following the forensic investigation of the alleged video by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Bhagwant Mann has been declared a ‘tankhaiya’ (found guilty of religious misconduct) and the Sikh ‘sangat’ has been asked to stay away from him. After such a serious decision, Bhagwant Mann has lost his moral right. Respecting the supreme authority of Akal Takht Sahib and Sikh sentiments, Bhagwant Mann should immediately resign from the post of chief minister,” he wrote on X.
