Days after Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldip Singh Gargaj declared Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann “Guru Dokhi” (one who disrespects Gurus) and “Panth Virodhi” (anti-Panth), the CM on Thursday reiterated that the individual in the controversial video was not him.
In a statement, Mann claimed that a frame-by-frame technical analysis by two independent forensic laboratories outside the state had confirmed that the individual in the video did not resemble him.
Claiming that the two reports had uncovered the truth behind the fake video controversy, the CM said not a single one of the 1,191 frames examined by the labs matched his profile, including face, height or physique.
“The reports clearly establish that someone used an actor to create this fake video with the intention of passing it off as Bhagwant Mann,” the CM said.
“The reports also state that the individual in the video is nearly two inches taller than me. How is it possible that my height has increased by two inches in a video?” the CM argued, adding that it was an attempt to malign him because “certain forces can’t tolerate Punjab’s progress and my popularity among the masses”.
Mann said he had directed DGP Gaurav Yadav to identify those involved in creating, financing and circulating the “fake” video, and expose them before the “sangat”.
An AAP delegation earlier met the DGP and submitted the two forensic reports, demanding strict legal action against those involved. The delegation included AAP state president Aman Arora, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, state media in-charge Baltej Pannu, and other senior party leaders.
After the meeting, Cheema said the Akali Dal had been rattled by the “clean image of the popular government and the CM”.
“To regain its lost political ground, the Akali Dal has stooped so low that it is now hatching a deep conspiracy to defame the CM by fabricating a video. Such tactics will not be tolerated,” he said.
The minister alleged that the Akali Dal had a history of being “anti-Punjab” and “anti-Panthic”. “Whenever Akalis come to power, Punjab suffers heavy losses. The party has repeatedly worked against the interests of Punjab and its people,” he said.
The delegation urged the Punjab Police to immediately arrest the mastermind as well as all those involved in circulating the video on social media.
