A major political controversy has erupted in Punjab after a viral video allegedly showing Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann disrespecting Sikh Gurus surfaced on social media. The footage reportedly shows a man resembling Mann consuming alcohol and splashing liquor on photographs of Sikh Gurus. The video quickly sparked outrage among sections of the Sikh community and intensified political tensions across the state.
The controversy escalated further after the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of Sikhs, declared Bhagwant Mann a “Guru Dokhi” (anti-Guru) and “Khalsa Panth Virodhi” (anti-Khalsa Panth). The Sikh clergy also accused the Punjab Chief Minister of misleading them by claiming that the video was generated using artificial intelligence (AI). According to Akal Takht representatives, the clip was examined and found not to be AI-generated.
Bhagwant Mann has strongly denied the allegations, insisting that he is not the person seen in the video. The Aam Aadmi Party leader accused his political opponents of orchestrating a smear campaign to tarnish his image and mislead the public. As the debate continues, opposition parties and Sikh organizations have demanded accountability, while the controversy remains a major talking point in Punjab’s political landscape.
