Addressing Punjabis across the world, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday said that his entire public life has been dedicated to serving the people and safeguarding the interests of Punjab, and that no amount of political propaganda can weaken his bond with the Sangat or the people of the state. Stating that two independent forensic reports have completely exposed the truth behind the fake video controversy, the Chief Minister said that not a single one of the 1,191 frames examined matches his face, height, physique or physical appearance.
Declaring the episode as a calculated attempt to malign him because certain forces cannot tolerate Punjab’s progress and the overwhelming love being shown by the people, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said he has directed the DGP Punjab to identify every individual involved in creating, financing and circulating the fake video, regardless of where they are hiding in the world, and bring them before the Sangat. Reaffirming his lifelong commitment to serving Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Sangat and the people of Punjab, the Chief Minister appealed to Punjabis not to fall prey to politically motivated conspiracies being hatched by those using religion as a shield to protect their shrinking political relevance.
In a video message, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann on CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Ever since I got an opportunity to serve the people, first as a Member of Parliament and now as Chief Minister. When it came to paying tribute to the Chhote Sahibzadas, no tribute had ever been paid to them in Parliament’s history. Guru Sahib entrusted me with that service and, for the first time, tribute was paid to the Chhote Sahibzadas in Parliament. A moment of silence was observed, their sacrifice was discussed and their Shaheedi (martyrdom) was honoured.”
The Chief Minister noted, “Now, as Chief Minister, a matter came before me regarding the vehicles used for carrying Palki Sahib. These vehicles were not exempt from tax. We waived the tax on all Palki Sahib vehicles across Punjab.”
He added, “We gave a nod to exempt specially designed vehicles for carrying the Parkash of Religious Scriptures of different religions in the state from Motor Vehicle Taxes (MVT). The exemption for these vehicles have been given in view of the Nagar Kirtans / Harinaam performed by various religious organizations which act as a catalyst to promote ethos of communal harmony, peace and brotherhood..”
“During the 350th Shaheedi Diwas celebrations of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, we made the best possible arrangements and people appreciated those arrangements. For the first time in history, we dedicated the Punjab Vidhan Sabha at the feet of the Guru by holding a special Assembly session at Anandpur Sahib,” he added.
The Chief Minister pointed out, “We accorded the status of Holy Cities to Amritsar, Sri Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo, the cities associated with Takhat Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib and Takhat Sri Damdama Sahib. No previous government had the courage to take such a decision.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “When incidents of sacrilege were taking place, the law was very weak. People could get bail even from the police station or escape punishment. We enacted a stringent law, Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, against sacrilege. People praised that law immensely. Even today, people call me and tell me that the law has brought peace to their hearts. I tell them that I did not do it on my own. Guru Sahib entrusted me with that service.”
The Chief Minister said, “I am surprised that those who have become self-appointed custodians of religion, and the political people who appointed their favourites to important positions, are now attaching my name to a fake video in which I am not even present. Someone is acting like me, imitating me, styling his hair like mine and trying to resemble me.”
He affirmed, “Based on some so-called investigation, they are declaring me Panth-Virodhi from the ‘faseel’ of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and telling people not to associate with Bhagwant Mann. This is open political propaganda. This is political messaging and nothing else.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Today I am placing before you two reports. These are not reports from any Punjab laboratory. These reports are from laboratories outside Punjab and are related to this very video. A total of 1,191 frames were examined. All 1,191 frames were checked. Not a single frame matches my face from any angle, my side profile, my front profile, my eyes, my height, my physique or my body structure. The reports clearly establish that someone used another individual to create this fake video with the specific intention of declaring it to be a video of Bhagwant Mann and then defaming me.”
He added, “The reports also state that the individual in the video is approximately 2 inches taller than me. How is it possible that my height suddenly increases by two inches in a video? Moreover, I cannot even think of doing such a thing, even in my dreams. Nobody knows when this video was recorded. Nobody knows where it was recorded. Nobody knows who originally circulated it. The only thing that is clear is that when I take decisions in favour of the people of Punjab, those decisions are becoming unbearable for certain people.”
The Chief Minister noted, “The people of Punjab are showering me with immense love. Mothers bless me, elders pray for my long life and young people gather for selfies. Wherever I go, whether it is a public gathering, a rally or a Lok Milni, people come together in large numbers.”
Recounting his government’s achievement for the people of Punjab, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “Our government has provided free electricity to 90% of households, jobs to over 67,000 youth without corruption, opened Aam Aadmi Clinics, Schools of Eminence, improved roads, closed toll plazas saving ₹70 lakh daily, and is building infrastructure. At the time when our government had assumed the charge of office only 22% canal water was being used in the state for irrigation purposes but now it has risen up to more than 80% as the water is reaching tail ends.”
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“After nearly 70 years, canal water is once again reaching people’s fields. Farmers are offering Ardas before directing that water towards their lands. These developments are also becoming difficult for some people to tolerate,” he added.
He asserted, “And now even the Congress, which demolished Sri Akal Takht Sahib, whose scars and bloodstains history still remembers, has joined this chorus. According to them, Bhagwant Mann is responsible for everything. All three parties have now united. They may unite as much as they want. When the people stand united on one side, I have nothing to worry about. What hurts me is that despite the work I have done for Sikh institutions and Sikh causes, such attacks are being carried out against me.”
The Chief Minister stated, “I am a secular person. I want to work for all religions. Every individual should have the freedom to practise his or her faith. Religion gives people spiritual satisfaction and nobody has the right to interfere in another person’s faith. At the very least, the President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has himself publicly stated that he is a loyal soldier of Sukhbir Singh Badal. He should have said that he is a loyal soldier of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. When a person holding such an important position openly identifies himself as a soldier of a political leader, what else can people expect?”
Referring to the forensic reports, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The reports even analyse the surroundings visible in the video, including the table and the hotel room. Tell me, who keeps such photographs in a hotel room? I had said the same thing when I appeared before Sri Akal Takht Sahib. I said clearly that I am not the person in this video. Whether it is AI or not is a separate matter. When I am not even present in the video, that itself settles the matter.”
The Chief Minister stated, “On the basis of these two reports, I have instructed the DGP Punjab that whoever carried out this act, whoever arranged the shooting of this video, whoever financed it, whichever room it was shot in and wherever in the world it was produced, those individuals should be identified and brought before the Sangat.”
“Thereafter, the Nanak Naam Leva Sangat will decide. The Sangat of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is supreme. Sri Akal Takht Sahib is supreme and our heads bow before it. However, decisions taken in this manner and announced from the Takht have not been accepted by many people,” he affirmed.
The Chief Minister appealed to the Sri Guru Nanak Nanak Naam Leva Sangat not to fall prey to these devious political designs. “These people are merely trying to recover and protect the political positions they have lost. They are using religion as a political tool,” he added.
Reaffirming his commitment to Punjab, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Every minute of my life, every second of my life and every heartbeat in my heart beats for Punjab. I will continue to work for Punjab. The love, respect and blessings that you are giving me mean a great deal to me. Without any greed, without any selfish motive, I will always stand for the rights and interests of Punjab. I have always served Sri Guru Granth Sahib and the people, and I cannot even think of having any conflict with the Sangat.”
“Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.”
