Posters Targeting Mann, Badal Erupt Across Ludhiana Gurdwaras
Posters calling for the social boycott of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann have surfaced across Ludhiana at multiple locations, including outside Gurdwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha in Model Town Extension, Gurudwara Dukh Nivaran, a gurdwara in Shimlapuri, Atam Nagar, and Gurudwara Manji Sahib in Alamgir, among others. The campaign intensified at Model Town Extension Chowk, where a poster outside the gurdwara declared Mann as “Khalsa Panth Virodhi,” with his photograph crossed by a bold red cross.
Flex Targeting Sukhbir Badal Invokes Akal Takht Verdict
Just a few metres away, outside Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh Ji Shaheed, a large flex targeting Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has been displayed. The flex references the Akal Takht’s December 2, 2024, ‘panthak faisla’ against SAD leaders over sacrilege incidents during the SAD-BJP tenure. It carries a photograph of Sukhbir Badal with a plaque around his neck, mentioning his confession of sins as the supreme seat equated his mistakes to sins. The image also shows Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and other leaders who were awarded religious punishment in 2024.
Payal MLA Condemns Use of Gurdwaras for Political Gains
Payal MLA Manwinder Giaspur lamented that “gurdwaras, the supreme and most respected Sikh institutions, are being openly used for petty political gains.” He said it was unprecedented that posters and banners on non-religious matters were being placed in gurdwaras. The MLA’s comments highlight growing concerns over the politicization of religious spaces in Punjab.
SAD Leader Questions Relevance of Old Verdict
Jagbir Singh Sokhi, SAD in-charge for Atam Nagar, said, “Sukhbir Badal has already undergone the punishment awarded by Akal Takht and has been granted pardon. What is the use of displaying such posters now? This is a thing of the past. Those putting them up only reveal their own insecurity.” His statement reflects the SAD’s stance that the matter has been resolved and the posters are unnecessary.
Poster Drive Linked to SGPC Chief’s Call for Awareness
The poster drive started in the state after SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami’s June 23 meetings with religious groups, where he urged that awareness must be spread about the Akal Takht’s directive against Mann. Acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj had earlier declared Mann guilty in the sacrilege video controversy, sparking calls for his resignation and intensifying the poster war, now visible across Ludhiana’s gurdwaras. The development underscores the ongoing tensions between political and religious institutions in Punjab.
