'Opponents Trying To Defame Him': Arvind Kejriwal Defends Bhagwant Mann After 'Anti-Guru' Verdict
'Opponents Trying To Defame Him': Arvind Kejriwal Defends Bhagwant Mann After 'Anti-Guru' Verdict Published By, Last Updated: June 16, 2026, 13:52 IST Mann found himself
'Opponents Trying To Defame Him': Arvind Kejriwal Defends Bhagwant Mann After 'Anti-Guru' Verdict Published By, Last Updated: June 16, 2026, 13:52 IST Mann found himself at the centre of a controversy after a purported video, featuring a person resembling him sprinkling alcohol on images of Sikh gurus, went viral online Mann found himself at the centre of a controversy after a purported video, featuring a person resembling him sprinkling alcohol on images of Sikh gurus, went viral online | File Image: Sourced A day after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was declared “anti-Guru" by the Akal Takht, his fellow party leader and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal defended him, alleging that the “rivals were trying to defame him". Mann found himself at the centre of a controversy after a purported video — featuring a person resembling him sprinkling alcohol on images of Sikh gurus — went viral online, triggering backlash.
In a post on ‘X’, Kejriwal wrote, “Opponents, rattled by Bhagwant Mann’s good deeds, are trying to defame him by calling him a liar." The AAP chief also reposted a video of Mann, in which, the latter rejected the allegations and claimed that the purported video was “AI-generated". Row Against Mann The Akal Takht — the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs — came out strongly against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, declaring him “anti-Guru" and urging the Sikhs to have nothing to do with him. The Akal Takht on Monday summoned Mann over his alleged objectionable remarks about Sikh devotees and to question him over a purported video that featured a person resembling him sprinkling alcohol on portraits of Sikh gurus. The Punjab CM, however, maintained that the video was “AI-generated".
Later, it came to the fore that the forensic tests had been conducted and it was established that the video was genuine. The AAP then sought to counter the allegations by saying that the tests had not revealed whether the person in the video was indeed Mann. In a verdict dated June 15, Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj said: “We questioned the chief minister regarding the video and he claimed it was AI-generated. We asked him to give us proof of this but received no response for six months. We then had the video examined by two laboratories recognised by the Government of India, which revealed that the video is neither fake nor AI-generated. Today, the ‘panth’ took action and reached a decision on this matter".
The BriefWire