AAP Ministers, MLAs will Appear Sri Akal Takht

Sahib

Amritsar, 28 June (H.S.): Punjab Chief Minister

Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday reaffirmed that Sri Akal Takht Sahib is the

supreme temporal authority of the Sikh community and said that all Aam Aadmi

Party Ministers, MLAs and Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kulthar Singh Sandhwan

who have been summoned will appear before it on Monday.

Addressing the media in Amritsar along with AAP National

Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister said the summoned representatives

would present their stand with humility and respect. The matter relates to the Jaagat

Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, over which Sri Akal

Takht Sahib has sought clarification from Sikh Ministers and legislators.

Mann said that every directive issued by Sri Akal Takht

Sahib is paramount for him and would be obeyed in letter and spirit. He said,

“Sri Akal Takht Sahib is sacred for every Sikh and is the highest temporal seat

of our community. All our Ministers, MLAs and the Speaker who have been

summoned will appear before it and present their side as humble Sikhs.”

The Chief Minister said that for him and his family, the

command of Sri Akal Takht Sahib has always been supreme. Referring to an

earlier occasion, he said that when he had previously been summoned by the

Takht, he had skipped a function of the President of India to appear before it.

Mann also said the state government would submit details

regarding the alleged fake video in which, according to him, an impersonator

was used to defame him. He said a letter in this regard was being finalised and

would be sent to the Jathedar. The Chief Minister added that any suggestion

received from Sri Akal Takht Sahib or the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak

Committee would be considered seriously.

At the same time, Mann accused opposition parties of

trying to give the issue a religious colour for political gain. He said

politics and religion should not be mixed and alleged that the BJP, Congress

and Shiromani Akali Dal were attempting to defame him on religious grounds. He

said his government was focused on employment, water, electricity, healthcare,

education and overall development.

The Chief Minister also questioned the SGPC’s reported

move to put up posters calling for his social boycott outside gurdwaras. He

asked why similar posters were not displayed against Shiromani Akali Dal

leaders after past incidents linked to sacrilege and firing on the sangat.

Mann said the Sikh sangat is supreme and fully capable

of judging every action. He added that after the Ministers and MLAs appear

before Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the government would deliberate on the future

course of action.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH