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A time aft the Sikh clergy declared him 'Guru Dokhi' (anti-Guru) and 'Khalsa Panth virodhi' (anti-Khalsa Panth) implicit an objectionable video, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann connected Tuesday (June 16, 2026) said the idiosyncratic successful the video was not him.
In a video message, the Chief Minister expressed astonishment implicit the apical brass of spiritual bodies "indulging successful mendacious propaganda astatine the behest of their governmental bosses" to defame him.
The substance stems from the summoning of Mr. Mann by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal spot of Sikhs, successful January this twelvemonth for allegedly making comments connected 'Guru ki Golak' (gurdwara donation box) and indulging successful "objectionable activities" with the pictures of the Sikh Gurus and slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale successful a video clip.
In his video connection connected Tuesday (June 16, 2026), Mr. Mann said a 'hukamnama' (edict) had been issued against him implicit the video, claiming that it featured him and that it was not AI-generated.
"I wholly cull this video," helium said.
Mr. Mann said erstwhile helium was summoned to the Akal Takht earlier, helium had said that it was not him successful the purported video.
"The idiosyncratic seen successful the video does not lucifer my tallness and physique," helium said.
"But I americium amazed astatine however the radical sitting astatine the highest presumption of spiritual bodies are indulging successful specified mendacious propaganda astatine the behest of their governmental bosses," Mr. Mann said, alluding to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj, who pronounced the edict against the CM connected Monday (June 15, 2026).
"They are indulging successful mudslinging to defame me. Because I americium taking decisions for the extortion of water, 'gurbani', farming and the youth, which they cannot tolerate astatine all," said Mr. Mann.
He said religion was being utilized to defame him.
Mr. Mann said helium considered the Akal Takht the ultimate assemblage and had ever been committed to it.
Questioning the assignment of the Akal Takht Jathedar, Mr. Mann said, "The governmental appointments that person taken spot there, the Sikh Sangat knows precise good astir the benignant of decisions being taken there.”
He said it was wholly incorrect that attempts were being made to defame him.
"Punjab lives successful my heartbeat and I americium moving time and nighttime for Punjab," helium said.
Mr. Mann said the Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee were earlier asking wherefore an anti-sacrilege instrumentality had not been framed.
"When the instrumentality was enacted, they said wherefore it was enacted without consulting them and refused to judge it. It proves that they alteration decisions each day," helium said, referring to the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026.
The Act proposes stricter punishment, including beingness imprisonment for immoderate enactment of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib.
Mr. Mann claimed that the Akal Takht had nary volition of taking enactment against those who "admitted" to sacrilege and firing incidents earlier it connected December 2, 2024, and was lone doing propaganda against him, helium alleged.
On December 2, 2024, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) main Sukhbir Singh Badal had appeared earlier the Akal Takht erstwhile the Sikh clergy pronounced 'tankhah' (religious punishment) for him and different leaders for the "mistakes" committed by the enactment and its authorities successful Punjab from 2007 to 2017.
The CM said the last determination volition beryllium taken by the people. "I volition proceed to instrumentality decisions for Punjab," helium said.
Akal Takht Jathedar Gargajj pronounced the edict against Mann from the 'faseel’ (podium of the Akal Takht) connected Monday (June 15, 2026) successful Amritsar, accusing the CM of lying astir the purported objectionable video that wounded Sikh sentiments.
The edict came aft Gargajj claimed that the video circulating connected societal media was recovered to beryllium "authentic" by the 2 forensic laboratories. The video was neither tinkered with nor AI-generated, Gargajj said.
The Sikh clergy besides summoned each Sikh MLAs, careless of enactment affiliation, from the State and the Punjab Cabinet earlier the Akal Takht connected June 29 successful transportation with the anti-sacrilege law.
