Punjab rolls out ‘Soorma’ drive to involve recovered addicts in anti-drug campaign
The programme was launched in Ludhiana, where the Chief Minister felicitated individuals who have remained free from substance abuse for more than two years.
Amid the controversy over Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s purported viral video, all AAP MLAs, including entire state Cabinet and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, will appear before the Akal Takht on Monday.
Addressing a press conference in Amritsar alongside AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that the Akal Takht is the supreme temporal authority of the Sikh community and the religious body’s every directive is paramount and will be obeyed in letter and spirit.
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The Chief Minister also said that his government would submit all the details of the fake video featuring his impersonator.
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“Sri Akal Takht Sahib is sacred for every Sikh and is the highest temporal seat of our community. Any command or order issued by Sri Akal Takht Sahib is acceptable to us with complete reverence and will be obeyed,” CM Mann said.
He said that all Punjab Ministers, MLAs and the Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha who have been summoned by Sri Akal Takht Sahib will appear before it on Monday.
“They will present their side along with the government’s position before the Takht as humble Sikhs,” he added.
The Chief Minister stressed that Akal Takht is “above everything” for him and its command “is, was and will always remain supreme for me and my family.”
“My reverence for Sri Akal Takht Sahib is evident from the fact that when I was earlier summoned by the Takht, I even skipped a function of the President of India to appear before it,” the CM asserted.
Mann slams SGPC over social boycott order
Mann, however, slammed the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) over its decision to put up posters calling for his social boycott outside gurdwaras.
“When political appointees occupying religious positions start taking one-sided decisions to appease their political masters, questions naturally arise,” the Punjab CM said, asking why such posters were never displayed against the Shiromani Akali Dal or Sukhbir Badal after they admitted responsibility for incidents of sacrilege?
The Chief Minister said on December 2, Sukhbir Badal and his associates appeared before the Akal Takht, acknowledged their mistakes, admitted wrongdoing, accepted responsibility for the firing incidents and admitted that orders had been issued against the sangat.
“Did anyone display posters outside gurdwaras calling for their boycott in the manner they are doing against me today? The sangat is wise, and the people are supreme. These individuals are acting out of arrogance because they have no real issue left to raise against him,” he said.
CM Mann further stated that his political rivals are frustrated after seeing the overwhelming support he receives from the people of the state.
“Frustrated by this overwhelming response, the traditional political parties have stooped to levelling baseless allegations against me. The people of Punjab will never tolerate such politics,” he remarked.
What is the Bhagwant Mann viral video controversy?
In the viral video, a person resembling Bhagwant Mann is seen making controversial gestures in front of the photos of Sikh gurus.
The purported video triggered massive controversy, with the Akal Takht declaring Mann a “Guru-dokhi” and “Khalsa Panth-Panth-virodhi”.
The Opposition SAD, BJP and Congress have demanded his resignation for allegedly disrespecting the Sikh gurus.
AAP claims viral video is ‘fake’, shot using silicon mask of CM Mann
However, the Punjab CM has claimed that he is not the person seen in the viral video.
According to the Punjab CM, the fake video was created by a Canada-based aide of Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Badal to tarnish his image.
Earlier this week, Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party shared a video, showing a man sitting in a car and holding a silicon mask of CM Mann.
The party claimed that the same mask was used by the alleged SAD associate to create the viral video.
The Chief Minister said that his government will soon write to the Jathedar explaining how his impersonator was used in a fake video to defame him.
“The details of the letter are being finalised. After our ministers and MLAs appear before Sri Akal Takht Sahib, we will deliberate on the future course of action. The sangat is supreme in the Sikh Panth, and every decision will be taken in accordance with its wishes because the sangat is fully capable of judging every action,” he added.
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