Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab State Media In-Charge Baltej Pannu on Monday said that after losing the trust of the people and facing repeated electoral defeats, the Badal family and Shiromani Akali Dal have dragged revered Sikh institutions into their political battle in a desperate bid to regain relevance. He asserted that the so-called forensic report being used to target CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has failed to establish even the identity of the person seen in the video, exposing what he described as another failed attempt by Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia to defame the Chief Minister.
Baltej Pannu said the same Badal family under whose rule Punjab witnessed beadbi incidents, Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan tragedies is now trying to claim moral authority, while remaining unable to digest the fact that the Bhagwant Mann Government has enacted Punjab’s toughest law against beadbi and delivered transformative governance through initiatives ranging from increased canal water reach and daytime power for farmers to ₹10 lakh health insurance for families.
Addressing a press conference, AAP Punjab State Media In-charge Baltej Pannu said Sri Akal Takht Sahib is the supreme and most revered institution of Sikhs across the world and cannot be treated as the personal estate of Sukhbir Singh Badal or the Shiromani Akali Dal. “Sri Akal Takht Sahib belongs to the entire Panth across the world, not to Sukhbir Singh Badal or the Shiromani Akali Dal. The Jathedar Sahib was appointed in the middle of the night at the behest of Sukhbir Badal without consulting Sikh sects or organisations, and at a place where there was not even Parkash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.”
Baltej Pannu asserted, “Under such circumstances, his loyalty towards the Badal family and the statement of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami describing himself as a soldier of Sukhbir Badal are proof of the politicisation of these revered Sikh institutions.”
Questioning the forensic report released in connection with the controversial video, Baltej Pannu said, “The report nowhere states who the person visible in the video actually is. Even if we accept the claim that the video was not generated through AI, the Jathedar must explain what the height of the individual seen in the video is. Does the height of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann match the height of the person visible in the footage? Which hotel room is it where photographs of Guru Sahib are displayed, as is being claimed? The report has completely failed to establish who is actually visible in the video.”
Baltej Pannu added, “In the coming days, the Aam Aadmi Party will place the complete truth before the people and expose every aspect of this controversy.” Baltej Pannu said the biggest challenge for the Shiromani Akali Dal is that the same CM Bhagwant Singh Mann whom they repeatedly attempted to defame has enacted strict legislation to protect the sanctity of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. “CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has introduced historic amendments to the Satkar Act and implemented a strict law to prevent beadbi of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Now, anyone committing beadbi will have to face punishment. The Act has been passed and, after receiving the Governor’s assent, has come into force,” he said.
Baltej Pannu further stated, “The Badal family, which considered itself the sole custodian of Panthic interests and which pushed an entire generation of Punjab into the quagmire of chitta between 2007 and 2017, is unable to digest this strict law enacted on the sacred land of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. In its frustration, it has now played its last political card and, unfortunately, has fielded the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib as a pawn in its political battle. However, the intelligent and aware people of Punjab will never allow such designs to succeed.”