Chandigarh: In a significant development with religious and political implications in Punjab, the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of the Sikh community, has declared Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ‘anti-Guru’ and urged members of the Sikh panth to maintain distance from him. The decision follows months of deliberations over a controversial video and remarks allegedly linked to the chief minister.
The announcement was made by Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj after a meeting of the five Singh Sahibs. According to the Akal Takht, Bhagwant Mann had been summoned earlier to explain a video in which a person resembling him was allegedly seen sprinkling alcohol on images of Sikh Gurus.
During his appearance before the Akal Takht on January 15, Mann reportedly maintained that the video was generated using artificial intelligence and denied any involvement. However, the Akal Takht stated that forensic examinations conducted by two Government of India-recognised laboratories concluded that the video was neither fake nor AI-generated.
Addressing the media, Gargaj said that despite repeated requests, no evidence was submitted by the chief minister to support his claim that the video had been manipulated through AI. Based on the findings and subsequent deliberations, the Akal Takht concluded that Mann had misled the Sikh religious authority.
The Akal Takht stated that providing false information before the Sikh religious authority constituted a serious offence. Gargaj announced that Mann had been found guilty before the Guru and was therefore being declared ‘anti-Guru’. He further stated that Sikhs should not place expectations on the Chief Minister and that followers of the Guru should have no association with him until the matter is appropriately addressed.
In another major decision, the Akal Takht has summoned the entire Punjab cabinet to appear before it on June 29 regarding the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The legislation, passed by the Punjab Assembly, provides for stringent punishment, including life imprisonment, for acts of sacrilege against the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. While the bill was introduced with the stated objective of protecting the sanctity of the Sikh holy scripture, the Akal Takht expressed concerns over the process through which the legislation was enacted.
According to the Akal Takht, the government proceeded with the bill without adequate consultation with Sikh religious institutions, scholars, or the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). The religious body has argued that matters concerning the Sikh panth require broader consultation and consensus.
The Akal Takht’s decision marks a significant moment in Punjab’s religious and political discourse. With the Punjab Assembly elections approaching next year and the entire state cabinet now summoned before the Sikh religious authority, the issue is likely to remain at the centre of public debate in the coming weeks.
