New Delhi: After the Akal Takht declared Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann 'anti-Guru' and asked the 'panth', or the Sikh community, to have nothing to do with him, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday slammed the AAP leader.
"Shameful. The Panj Singh Sahib at Sri Akal Takht Sahib has declared Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as Panth Virodhi and Guru Virodhi," BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala wrote on X.
"Earlier today, Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj stated that a viral video purportedly showing Bhagwant Mann under the influence of alcohol and sprinkling droplets on photographs of the Guru Sahibs was examined by two prominent laboratories, which reportedly concluded that the video was neither fake nor AI-generated," he added.
"Reverence towards the Guru Sahibs and Sikh maryada is non-negotiable," he added, saying that "statements made by the Akal Takht today are therefore likely to have far-reaching political and social consequences."
Congress reacts
Congress MP and state unit chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also called for Mann's immediate resignation.
"Following the forensic investigation of the alleged video by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Bhagwant Mann has been declared a tankhaiya, and the Sikh sangat has been appealed to stay away from him."
"After such a serious decision, Bhagwant Mann has lost his moral right. Respecting the supreme authority, maryada, and Sikh sentiments of Akal Takht Sahib, Bhagwant Mann should immediately resign from the post of Chief Minister." For the unversed, 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, according to an NDTV report.
Mann 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 the CM.
