In protest against an allegedly objectionable video of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann that has gone viral on social media, AAP workers staged a protest outside the BJP office near Sheetla Mata Mandir at Mai Heeran Gate in Jalandhar. Alleging that the video was AI-generated and circulated to defame the Chief Minister, party workers raised slogans against the BJP and held placards during the demonstration.
Notably, on the basis of the viral video and its forensic examination, the Akal Takht recently declared CM Bhagwant Mann as ‘Guru Dokhi’ and ‘Khalsa Panth Virodhi’. The AAP, however, rejected the allegations and cited forensic reports claiming that the individual seen in the video was not the Punjab Chief Minister. Amid heavy police deployment, a large number of AAP workers gathered outside the BJP office on Saturday and raised slogans as part of the party’s state-wide protests against the circulation of the video.
AAP district president Amritpal said, “Punjab and the people of Punjab cannot be divided on religious lines, even though such attempts may be made in other states. Amid reports of an internal alliance between the BJP and the Akali Dal, AI-generated videos in the name of the Chief Minister are being circulated because they have run out of other issues. The video has been examined from 1,100 angles, all of which have shown that the man seen in it is not the Punjab Chief Minister.”
AAP leader Chander Grewal said, “With the BJP having no other issues to raise, falsehoods are being spread regarding the Punjab Chief Minister. We have gathered here to protest against the AI-generated fake video being circulated to target the CM.” While both leaders criticised the BJP and the Akali Dal over the viral video, they refrained from commenting against the Akal Takht or its acting Jathedar, Gyani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj. Grewal said, “The Akal Takht is the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs and one of the most revered institutions in the state. We have nothing to say against it. However, everyone has the right to present their side of the story.”
