SGPC member Surjit Singh Bittawad has backed the Akal Takht's decision against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over a controversial viral video. He claimed the footage was verified by a government-recognised agency and urged Mann to resign and seek forgiveness at the Akal Takht.
His remarks came a day after the Akal Takht, headed by acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, asked the Sikh community to sever ties with the Chief Minister over the video controversy. Mann, however, has dismissed the video as fake propaganda.
Bittawad said "The video was indeed checked. As it was checked, Singh Sahib (Jathedar) stated that it was verified by a government-recognised agency. The report has come from there. They have stated that there has been no tampering with it. It is not AI-generated; it is a completely original video."
Referring to the Akal Takht's directive, Bittawad said the religious body had declared Mann an enemy of the Sikh community and instructed Sikhs not to maintain any association with him. He described the order as highly significant. Bittawad said the Sikh community respects the Akal Takht's decisions and urged Mann to appear before the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs.
"We all--and I believe every faithful Sikh--accept and honor this edict. Even he, if he considers himself a Sikh and believes in the Takht, should immediately resign, step down from the government, and come to the Akal Takht to seek forgiveness," he said.
On Monday evening, the Akal Takht issued a decree directing the Sikh community to distance itself from the Punjab Chief Minister over the viral video controversy.
Meanwhile, Bhagwant Mann strongly denied that he appeared in the video and alleged that it was part of a planned campaign to tarnish his reputation. In a video message posted on X, Mann said "I categorically and completely reject the authenticity of that video. The person in the video is not me. The person in the video neither matches my height nor build.”
The Chief Minister also questioned the recent decree issued by the Akal Takht and alleged that certain people holding religious positions were spreading misinformation for political reasons.
Mann said he had already informed the Akal Takht that he was not the person in the video. He reiterated that the footage did not show him and rejected claims that it was authentic.
While expressing respect for the authority of the Akal Takht, Mann alleged that religion was being used for political purposes. He claimed that efforts were being made to defame him through false allegations.
Earlier, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal had maintained that the video was genuine and not AI-generated, contrary to Mann's claims. Badal alleged that the footage showed the Chief Minister acting in a manner that amounted to sacrilege. He said the video had triggered anger and hurt sentiments within the Sikh community when it first surfaced on social media.
Also read: Akal Takht allegations politically motivated, claims Mann
Follow us
