Chandigarh:
A political controversy has erupted in Punjab after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann alleged that a mask was used to fabricate a video that has hurt Sikh sentiments. He had alleged that Jagman Samra, a Canada-based Punjabi NRI, was behind the viral video.
Samra has contested Mann’s claims and challenged the Punjab government to provide evidence to support his allegations.
In a video statement released shortly after the chief minister’s remarks, he dismissed the accusation as “completely false” and accused the state government of misleading the public.
The “objectionable” video at the centre of the controversy was created using a mask to impersonate him as part of a political conspiracy, Mann had alleged at a press conference yesterday.
Read: ‘Mask Used To Create Fake Footage’: Bhagwant Mann On Video Row
The chief minister suggested a close examination of the footage reveals that the person seen in the video does not have a scar on the neck that he has carried since a childhood operation.
Mann named Samra and said the Punjab Police would bring him back to India through Interpol.
Samra denied the charge and questioned the basis of his claim. In his video message, he asked the chief minister to clarify where he allegedly obtained the mask from and provide details of any transaction related to its purchase.
He argued that if such a mask was indeed used, there should be a clear trail of evidence identifying the seller, the buyer and the payment made for it.
“If I used a mask, the chief minister should tell the public where I got it from and whom I paid for it,” Samra said.
He also challenged the authorities to identify the person who was allegedly made to wear the mask for the purpose of recording the video. He maintained that no such person exists and insisted that the allegation was fabricated.
According to him, the burden of proof lies with those making the accusation.
Samra’s response has added a new dimension to an already heated debate, with supporters on both sides taking to social media to defend their respective positions.
Read: In Bhagwant Mann Video Row, A Battle Of Competing Narratives
Political observers say the dispute has evolved beyond a simple disagreement over a video and has now become part of a broader political narrative.
With Punjab’s political environment increasingly shaped by social media, allegations relating to digital content, authenticity and misinformation often attract significant public attention.
The issue is particularly noteworthy because it involves a direct confrontation between the state’s highest political office and a prominent online personality whose content regularly draws large audiences. Such disputes tend to resonate strongly among younger voters and social media users who consume political information through digital channels.
So far, the Punjab government has not publicly released any documentary or technical evidence to substantiate the claim regarding the alleged use of a mask. Similarly, no official investigation findings have been placed in the public domain.
However, Mann has asserted that he is not the person in the video and welcomed any investigation into the video.
Samra also maintains that he is willing to face scrutiny. He has argued that making such allegations without proof risks damaging public trust and diverting attention from substantive issues.
