Akal Takht panel declares Punjab CM Mann ‘anti-Guru’, AAP rejects charge

Accusing the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Badal family of manipulating Sikh religious institutions for political gains, AAP Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu said, “While the forensic report may state that the video itself is authentic, it does not establish who the individual in the video is. Therefore, declaring someone guilty on that basis raises serious questions.”

Addressing a meeting of Sikh bodies convened at Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj said forensic analysis by two recognised laboratories had found the viral video — which allegedly shows a man resembling Mann committing sacrilege — to be authentic, untampered and not generated using artificial intelligence.

Following the presentation of the forensic findings, the five-member jathedar panel of Sri Akal Takht Sahib met and declared Mann a “Guru-Dokhi” and “Khalsa Panth Virodhi”.

“Ultimately, the conclusion from both labs is that this video is authentic,” the Jathedar told the gathering, describing the laboratories as government-recognised and experienced forensic units. He said the reports explicitly stated the footage had “not been tampered with” and was “not AI”, adding that the video appeared “entirely natural, just like sitting in a natural environment where shadows fall”.

The controversy dates back to January when the Akal Takht summoned Mann to appear before its secretariat on January 15 over statements he had made about Guru Ki Golak and over the objectionable video. At the time, the Akal Takht issued a strong rebuke, claiming the chief minister’s remarks reflected an “anti-Sikh mentality” and had hurt Sikh sentiments.

Addressing questions about the credibility of the forensic examination, Giani Gargaj stressed the standing of the two laboratories engaged by the Akal Takht.

“These are the same labs whose reports brought down a chief minister in Manipur,” he said. He added that both laboratories had issued certificates undertaking to defend their conclusions in court if challenged.

“They have given us certificates stating that anyone can challenge their findings in any court of their choice; they will appear in court to testify, and no one will be able to disprove their reports,” the Jathedar said.

Referring to Mann’s earlier denials, Giani Gargaj said the chief minister himself had publicly invited a forensic examination of the video.

“He had said this thing ‘is fake, it is not me at all… Wherever Singh Sahib says, they can go to whichever forensic lab and get it investigated’,” the Jathedar recalled, while maintaining that the independent tests commissioned by the Akal Takht had reached the opposite conclusion.

The Jathedar also outlined the process followed by the Akal Takht after the clips surfaced. He said the secretariat had first approached Punjab government forensic laboratories seeking an investigation but received no response because such examinations could only be conducted on the directions of a court or the government.

“This is the letter from January 27… according to their rules, they say that they can only investigate when a court or the government orders it,” he said.

The Akal Takht subsequently engaged two private forensic laboratories and presented extracts from their reports before the Sangat on Monday.

Responding to the development, AAP Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu accused the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Badal family of using Sikh institutions for political purposes and rejected the allegations against Mann. He said the forensic reports cited by the Akal Takht did not establish the identity of the person seen in the video and raised more questions than answers.

Pannu said Sri Akal Takht Sahib is the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs and “belongs to the entire Panth, not to any political party or family”. He alleged that the institution was being drawn into a political battle and said the Jathedar should not act as a “political pawn”.

He further alleged that the Shiromani Akali Dal was attempting to regain political relevance after electoral setbacks and questioned the moral authority of its leaders, citing the 2015 sacrilege incidents and the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing cases. He also accused the Opposition of being unable to accept the Mann government’s anti-sacrilege legislation.

“CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has introduced historic amendments to the Satkar Act and implemented a strict law to prevent beadbi of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Now, anyone committing beadbi will have to face punishment. The Act has been passed and, after receiving the Governor’s assent, has come into force,” he said.