Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has accused the Badal family of using their political power to interfere in Sikh religious matters. He claimed that they influenced the appointment of the Akal Takht Jathedar for their personal benefit.
Speaking at Guru Nanak Dev University while handing out loan waiver certificates, Mann said the Badals had damaged the sanctity of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for financial gain. He also mocked the SGPC by calling it the “Shiromani Golak Prabandhak Committee”, suggesting it was only focused on money.
The CM also criticized past political parties for ignoring the poor, especially those from the Scheduled Castes (SC). He said that, for the first time, his government had waived loans worth Rs 67.84 crore for 4,727 SC farmers in Punjab.
In response, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Daljit Singh Cheema accused Mann of insulting Sikh institutions and making such remarks to divert attention from serious issues like unemployment, drug problems, and poor law and order in Punjab. He also said AAP leaders in Punjab were following orders from Delhi.
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami strongly rejected Mann’s comments, calling them insulting and baseless. He said the SGPC is not just a religious body but also plays an important role in education and social work, running nearly 100 schools and colleges in the state.
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