Mohali, June 25
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday claimed to have presented evidence exposing a conspiracy behind a fake video circulated on social media to malign his image on religious grounds. Displaying videos and other material before the media, the Chief Minister said a mask resembling him was procured and used to create the fabricated video. He also identified Canada-based Jagman Samra as the person who, he said, used the mask to shoot the video.
Mann claimed that the fake video was filmed in a hotel in Canada, whereas he has not visited the country since 2016. He further said the mask was delivered to Jagman Samra in a car and that Samra was subsequently seen holding it. Pointing out that the mask was clearly visible in the video and that his neck surgery scar was missing, the Chief Minister said the makers of the fake video had been identified and would be exposed after verification. He also announced that the matter would be placed before Sri Akal Takht Sahib along with the evidence.
Addressing the media, Mann said, “For the last several days, a fake and fabricated video of mine has been circulated repeatedly. Religious directives were also got issued only to derive political benefit from it. Political masters are using people occupying religious positions to make announcements according to their convenience in an attempt to defame me religiously because they cannot compete with me politically. They have become completely irrelevant on the ground and have now stooped to issuing one order after another every day only to malign me religiously.”
Mann said, “All the opposition parties have now united with only one objective: target Bhagwant Mann through false videos so that people begin to hate me. That will never happen.” Questioning the role of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), he said, “Boards have been put up outside Gurdwaras asking people to boycott Mann in the name of the orders of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, whose supreme authority I fully respect along with the entire Sikh Sangat across the world. Why were such boards not put up against Sukhbir Badal when he was declared ‘Tankhaiya’? Why were people not asked to boycott those held responsible for beadbi incidents and police firing? When the SGPC President himself says he is a soldier of Sukhbir Badal rather than Guru Gobind Singh, it becomes clear where his loyalties lie.”
Referring to the video released from those proceedings, Mann said, “I had requested that the proceedings be telecast live but I was told only a recording would be kept for the Panj Singh Sahiban. Now even that recording is being selectively released after editing. Even in that recording, I maintain that the person shown is not me. Anyone can get this investigated.”
Mann said, “Yesterday, the Congress held a press conference asking people to boycott Bhagwant Mann, alleging that I had challenged the supremacy of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. The same Congress, which demolished Sri Akal Takht Sahib and fired tanks and shells during 1984, is now claiming that it will protect the dignity and sanctity of Sri Akal Takht Sahib.”
Mann added, “The second party is the Akali Dal, which has a history of sacrileges. The third party is the BJP, whose leaders advised Indira Gandhi that attacking was the best option, leading to Operation Blue Star. Today, these three parties have come together and formed a joint front against Bhagwant Mann. This only proves that they have become politically rattled. They cannot gather crowds wherever they go, whereas people are joining me in large numbers.”
Mann stated, “After presenting today’s evidence, I believe there will be no need for me to say anything further. I leave the decision to the Guru Nanak Naam Leva Sangat. Before that, I want to show a video in which a young man clearly explains that the individual acting in my place was wearing a mask.”