Bhagwant Mann, Arvind Kejriwal (Bhagwant Mann as AAP ministers set to appear before Akal Takht on June 29)
NEW DELHI: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said all Sikh MLAs and Sikh cabinet ministers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will appear before the Akal Takht in Amritsar on June 29 to present the Punjab government’s position on the anti-sacrilege law.Mann also said he would send a purported video clip and submit his explanation in writing to the Sikh body’s highest temporal seat.”Our MLAs and cabinet ministers will present the government side. Punjab Assembly Speaker (Kultar Singh Sandhwan) will also go. Whatever suggestions come from the Akal Takht or SGPC, we will discuss the same,” Mann told reporters in Amritsar while accompanied by AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal.The Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, had on June 15 summoned all Sikh MLAs, irrespective of party affiliation, and Sikh ministers to appear before the Akal Takht on June 29 over the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026. Non-Sikh ministers have been asked to submit their views in writing before June 29.The Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) have objected to the anti-sacrilege legislation, saying it was enacted without consulting the Sikh Panth. The Akal Takht had also asked the Punjab government to remove provisions from the Act that it said were “against the Guru Granth Sahib, the Khalsa Panth and the sentiments of the ‘Sangat’ (Sikh community).” Replying to a question on whether he would personally appear before the Akal Takht, Mann said he had not been summoned.Addressing questions about a purported video linked to the controversy, the chief minister said he would forward the clip to the Akal Takht and submit his version of events in writing.Mann said he will also present his side in a written format to the highest temporal seat of Sikhs.He said he could never think of confronting the Akal Takht.Mann also recalled that when he appeared before the Akal Takht in January, he had maintained that he was not the person seen in the video.The Sikh clergy on June 15 declared Mann as ‘Guru Dokhi’ (anti-Guru) and ‘Khalsa Panth Virodhi’ (anti-Khalsa Panth) over the controversial video after the Akal Takht said two forensic laboratories had found the clip to be “authentic”.The controversy dates back to January, when the Akal Takht summoned Mann over alleged remarks on ‘Guru ki Golak’ (gurdwara donation box) and over “objectionable activities” involving pictures of the Sikh Gurus and slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the purported video.Mann, however, reiterated that he was not in the alleged objectionable video and claimed that the person seen in the clip was wearing a mask resembling his face.
