'Not Me': Bhagwant Mann Denies Viral Video After Akal Takht's 'Panth Virodhi' Tag, Calls It 'Conspiracy' To Defame Him and AAP

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has issued his first response after Sri Akal Takht Sahib declared him “Panth Virodhi” (anti-Panth) and “Guru Virodhi” (anti-Guru) over a controversial viral video that allegedly showed him disrespecting Sikh religious figures.

Rejecting the allegations outright, Mann said the person seen in the video is not him and described the controversy as a deliberate attempt to damage both his image and the Aam Aadmi Party ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.

“This is not me in the video,” Mann said in his first public reaction after the Akal Takht’s decision. He further claimed that a pattern was emerging to target the AAP government in Punjab before the next election battle.

At the same time, Mann struck a cautious tone on the religious aspect of the controversy. While disputing the authenticity of the footage, he reiterated that Sri Akal Takht Sahib remains the highest temporal authority for Sikhs and said, “Akal Takht is supreme for us.”

The controversy intensified earlier in the day when the Panj Singh Sahib, after consultations with Sikh institutions and Panthic organisations, declared Mann “Panth Virodhi” and “Guru Virodhi.”

The decision came after Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj said two forensic laboratories had examined the viral video. According to the Jathedar, both reports concluded that the footage showed no signs of manipulation and was not generated using artificial intelligence.

The findings directly challenge Mann’s earlier stand that the video was fabricated using AI tools and circulated to malign him.

The footage at the centre of the dispute allegedly shows a man claimed to be Bhagwant Mann under the influence of alcohol while sprinkling liquid on photographs of the Sikh Gurus. The visuals triggered strong reactions from sections of the Sikh community, where reverence towards the Guru Sahibs is considered sacred.

Opposition parties quickly welcomed the Akal Takht’s move.

Leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal said the issue had surfaced months ago when the video first went viral and argued that the alleged actions shown in the footage amounted to a serious insult to Sikh religious sentiments.

Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also backed the Akal Takht’s decision. Questioning Mann’s conduct, Channi alleged that religious institutions had repeatedly raised concerns with the Punjab government but were ignored.

The development now places Mann in a politically sensitive position. What began as a dispute over a viral video has evolved into a larger confrontation involving Punjab’s most influential Sikh religious institution, opposition parties and the state’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party.

With Mann denying he is the person in the video and Akal Takht standing by the forensic findings, the controversy is unlikely to fade anytime soon. Instead, it is poised to become a major political and religious flashpoint as Punjab moves closer to the 2027 Assembly elections.

Read More: CM Bhagwant Mann Declared 'Guru Virodhi' by Akal Takht Over Viral Video