Was Bhagwant Mann drunk when he visited a gurdwara? The row explained

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann had entered into Takht Damdama Sahib gurdwara in an inebriated condition.

The organisation, which is responsible for the management of Sikh shrines in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh, also sought an apology from the Punjab CM.

SGPC senior vice president Raghujit Singh Virk said in a statement that the chief minister “violated the Sikh rehat maryada (code of conduct)". He asked Mann to admit his mistake and apologise to the entire Sikh community.

Let’s take a look at what is the row:

Where it all began

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann attended a Baisakhi event held at Takht Damdama Sahib Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda on 14 April.

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday accused Mann of visiting the gurdwara in Bathinda under the influence of alcohol.

The ruling-Aam Aadmi Party (AAM) strongly denied the allegations as “false and baseless”.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga on Saturday said he has filed a police complaint against Mann. The apex gurdwara body SGPC demanded apology from the CM saying that his visit in an alleged inebriated state was a violation of ‘Sikh maryada’ (code of conduct) and against the reverence of the Guru’s house.

Even though the apex gurdwara body has demanded Mann to apologise for his alleged drunken state, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said that it was not a matter for the Committee to take action on, and was an issue between a person and his god.

According to the Indian Express, Dhami also asserted that the SGPC is an independent body and does not toe the Akali Dal’s line.

SGPC’s Akali Dal links

Meanwhile, Baldev Singh Chungha, an SGPC member who won the Committee seat on Akali Dal ticket, denied the claims that the CM was drunk at the event.

Chungha, according to the Indian Express, said that he would have stopped Mann if he were drunk. “But no such thing happened. He might have been just tired,” he said.

Ever since its foundation in 1920, the SGPC has been associated with the Akali Dal, including for its policies.

After the incident, Shiromani Akali Dal expelled Chungha for indulging in anti-party activities and speaking against party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, according to a report by the Times of India. However, it is believed that the party was angry over his defence of chief minister as SAD wanted to take on Mann on this religious emotive issue.

Chungha is an SGPC member from Bhadaur and last year had remained a member of SGPC Executive Committee. He had demanded resignation of Sukhbir Badal after SAD had got only 3 seats in assembly elections.

The SGPC hasn’t been on best of terms with the AAP government. On 17 March, a case was registered against the managing director of the Badal family-owned Punjabi channel PTC, which led to calls for the SGPC to cut its ties with the channel.

PTC is the only channel allowed to live telecast Gurbani from the Golden Temple.

As per The Tribune, the tv channel alleged that the complaint is politically motivated.

According to the Indian Express, Akal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, a former ally of the Badal family on various issues, has asked the SGPC to make its own arrangements for live telecast of the Gurbani before 6 June.

When CM Mann offered that the state government would bear all the expenses for the telecast, the SGPC slammed him for interfering in religious matters.

The SGPC asked Mann to coordinate with the Centre to get obstacles removed for the Committee to start its own channel as soon as possible.

When asked about the SGPC toeing the Akali Dal’s line, Dhami said that the allegations that “we follow the politics or orders of the Akali Dal are wrong. We will continue to do good work irrespective of which party is running the state.” With inputs from agencies

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