Chandigarh, June 16: Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has launched a sharp verbal critique against the leadership of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, accusing them of operating on the instructions of political masters. The development surfaces a day after Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj issued a community directive against the Chief Minister, claiming that independent forensic reports had verified an objectionable viral video.
The Chief Minister affirmed that he had already presented his clarification directly at the institutional secretariat prior to the pronouncement of the decree. The administration stated that despite providing clear information that the footage was unauthentic and physically inconsistent with the Chief Minister, the institutional heads proceeded with religious actions to favor specific political groups.
The state leadership declared that the current religious administrators are shifting their stances rapidly to oppose legislative reforms enacted by the elected government. Commenting on the administrative pressure, the Chief Minister asserted, “Earlier the Akal Takht administrators wanted the government to make a strict law, but now that it has become a law, they are rejecting it by saying that they were not consulted.”
The Chief Minister maintained that his administration remains dedicated to bowing before the supreme temporal court and wants no direct confrontation with religious institutions. He stated, however, that the community remains fully aware of how religious mechanisms were previously used to grant and withdraw exemptions for political conveniences.
In a social media statement, the Chief Minister also aimed a direct critique at the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee leadership for openly promoting factional political interests. The Chief Minister stated that the public can clearly see the pattern of decisions being made, assuring that his government will continue to focus on its legislative duties despite the ongoing institutional challenges.
