Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday alleged that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann does not respect Sikh traditions and institutions, and categorically stated that he is not even a Sikh.
Channi was in Barnala to attend the concluding session of a two-day training workshop organised by the SC wing of the party.
He claimed, “Bhagwant Mann has brought disrepute to Punjab. He even went to a gurdwara while being drunk. He also refers to the Akal Takht Jathedar as a granthi. He is not even a Sikh."
Referring to the Sikh religious affairs, Channi said that the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, was amended without consultation with the Sikh community. He said both the Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) have expressed concerns over the issue.
Channi said the decisions regarding Sikh religious matters should be left to the institutions such as the Akal Takht and the SGPC. He emphasised that any verdict pronounced by the Akal Takht Jathedar and the SGPC should be accepted by all and that preserving these institutions is the responsibility of every Sikh.
Channi also accused the incumbent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of failing to safeguard Punjab’s interests. He alleged that Punjab’s resources and treasury were being exploited and claimed that key decisions affecting the state were being controlled from Delhi.
