Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday dismissed a purported viral video allegedly showing him in an objectionable act as fake, claiming that a person wearing a mask resembling his face was used in the clip. Speaking during his ‘Lok Milni’ programme at Jhaloor village in Barnala district, Mann accused his political opponents of attempting to malign him on religious grounds and seeking his boycott by the Sikh community.
Mann alleges conspiracy by opposition
Mann questioned the opposition’s stance, pointing out that leaders who had earlier admitted mistakes related to sacrilege incidents and police firing were now demanding action against him. He asked, “Why were posters not put up outside gurdwaras against Sukhbir Badal, who had accepted responsibility for such incidents (before the Akal Takht), while calls are being made to display posters against me?” He further alleged that the Congress had colluded with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and was responsible for the attack on the Akal Takht.
CM draws strength from public support
Describing himself as the son of an ordinary family, Mann said he was not intimidated by such campaigns and drew strength from public support. He alleged that the Congress, the SAD and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were working together against him despite projecting themselves as rivals. The CM said opposition leaders spoke more about him than about each other, claiming that he had become the focus of their politics.
Public faith in government
Mann said the large gathering at the event reflected the people’s faith in his government. He asserted that the response from the public demonstrated that traditional parties were losing ground in state politics. He also criticised Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and several Congress leaders, including Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi.
Announcement of ‘Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana’
The CM further said just five days were left before the launch of the ‘Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana’ and appealed to women to keep their phones safe so that the money reaches the beneficiaries. He also handed over a cheque for Rs 51 lakh to the village panchayat for development works.
