Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has strongly rejected the Akal Takht's recent edict that declared him "Guru Dokhi" (one who betrays the Guru) and "Panth Virodhi" (opponent of the Sikh faith). In a defiant video statement, Mann claimed that the person shown in the controversial video is not him.
According to The Tribune, Mann said that while he has the utmost respect and reverence for the Akal Takht, the present-day officials — who he described as political appointees — are serving their political masters by making baseless allegations against him.
Mann claims political conspiracy behind Akal Takht edict
Mann directly accused the Akal Takht management of being politically motivated. "A false narrative is being created against me because the political bosses of the Akal Takht management want to defame me," he said in his video statement, as reported by The Tribune on X.
The Chief Minister repeatedly denied that there was any politics behind the move, but insisted that the allegations are being driven by external political interests. He also mentioned that around 25,000 pages of complaints and evidence were submitted by him, according to The Tribune's Facebook post.
Akal Takht stands by forensic findings
The controversy began when Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldip Singh Gargaj pronounced Mann as "Guru Dokhi" on Monday. The Jathedar stated that the video in question was examined by two forensic labs and was found to be genuine. Based on these findings, the Akal Takht issued its edict against the Chief Minister.
Mann, however, remains firm in his denial. He claims that the video has been manipulated or misidentified, and that the person seen in it is not him.
Our Take: A dangerous escalation in Punjab politics
This is not just a personal dispute between a Chief Minister and a religious institution. The Akal Takht is the highest temporal authority for Sikhs, and being declared "Guru Dokhi" is one of the most serious religious censures possible. For a sitting Chief Minister to reject this edict outright — and to accuse the Akal Takht's officials of being political pawns — is unprecedented and deeply concerning.
In our view, Mann's strategy of attacking the credibility of the Akal Takht's current management rather than addressing the substance of the allegations is risky. It may rally his political base, but it also risks alienating the Sikh community at large. The fact that two forensic labs have confirmed the video's authenticity makes his denial harder to sustain. This story is far from over, and the coming days will test both Mann's political survival skills and the Akal Takht's authority.