Amritsar (Punjab) [India], June 17 : Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member Surjit Singh Bittawad has supported the edict issued by the Akal Takht against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann over a controversial viral video, claiming that the footage had been verified by a government-recognised agency and urging the Chief Minister to resign and seek forgiveness at the Akal Takht.
The remarks came a day after the Akal Takht, led by acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, directed the Sikh community to shun ties with the Punjab Chief Minister over the controversy surrounding the video. Mann, however, has rejected the authenticity of the video, describing it as "false propaganda."
Speaking on the matter to ANI, Bittawad said, "The video was indeed checked. As it was checked, Singh Sahib (Jathedar) stated that it was verified by a government-recognized 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 decision, he added, "Because of this, Singh Sahib has issued an edict (Hukamnama) from the Akal Takht Sahib declaring him ( Bhagwant Mann) an enemy of the Sikh community and directed that no one should maintain any association with him. This is a very significant order."
Bittawad further said that the Sikh community respects the Akal Takht's decision and urged Mann to appear before the religious body.
"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.
The Akal Takht on Monday evening pronounced a decree in which the Sikh clergy, led by Akal Takht acting jathedar, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, directed the Sikh Panth (community) to shun ties with the Punjab Chief Minister over the controversy surrounding the viral video.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann "categorically and completely" rejected the authenticity of the viral video and alleged that it was part of an orchestrated attempt to malign his image.
"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," Mann said in a video message shared on X.
The Punjab CM also expressed concern over a recent decree issued by the Akal Takht regarding the video and alleged that individuals occupying "high religious positions" were spreading misinformation at the behest of political interests.
"Recently, an edict (hukumnama) was issued by the jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, certain statements concerning me, based on a specific video, saying that the video is not Al-generated or doctored. When I was summoned to Akal Takht Sahib, I clarified that I do not feature in that video at all, and the person in that video bears no resemblance to me," Mann said.
He further alleged that religion was being used as a tool for political purposes while stating that he respected the authority of Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
"Religion is being exploited... While I consider Sri Akal Takht Sahib supreme, the entire 'Sangat' is well aware of the nature of the decisions being handed down by those who hold these politically motivated appointments there. Therefore, I categorically and completely reject the authenticity of that video. The attempts to defame me, or rather, these petty tactics, orchestrated by the political masters of the administrators sitting at Akal Takht Sahib, are absolutely wrong," he added.
Earlier, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal claimed that the video showing the Chief Minister behaving in an objectionable manner was genuine and not Al-generated as previously claimed by Mann.
"A few months ago, a video surfaced on social media where the Chief Minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, was seen behaving in a manner that committed sacrilege (be-adbi) against the Guru. I do not have words to describe the act he committed. When that video came out, there was a lot of anger within the entire Sikh community (Panth)," Badal alleged in a video message.