More than four decades after the last Dharam Yudh Morcha ended following Operation Bluestar in June 1984, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has threatened to launch a fresh movement while issuing an ultimatum to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to immediately remove Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
SAD president Sukhbir Badal said the ultimatum would end on July 19, after which the party would launch a Dharam Yudh Morcha seeking the ouster of Mann.
“AAP should remove Mann from the post of the Chief Minister at the earliest, otherwise, it will be believed that party convener Arvind Kejriwal was equally responsible for the incident of sacrilege,” said Badal. He also demanded that the case be investigated by the CBI instead of the Punjab Police.
Badal accused the CM of allegedly manipulating two fake laboratory reports within two days. “This is humanly impossible in such a short period. Any forensic laboratory examination takes a minimum of four weeks for verification,” he said.
He demanded that Mann undergo a lie detector test and a facial expression analysis test to prove his innocence. Badal further announced the formation of a five-member panel headed by senior Akali leader Balwinder Singh Bhunder. The panel, which includes Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Daljit Singh Cheema and Amarjit Singh Chawla, will reach out to various organisations and individuals to seek support for the proposed Dharam Yudh Morcha.
He claimed that the controversial video was recorded and circulated by one of Mann’s close associates and alleged that an FIR had already been registered against the person in October 2025.
The controversy erupted over a purported forensic report relating to a viral video. Following the development, Akal Takht Acting Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj on Monday declared CM Mann “Guru dokhi” and “Panth virodhi”.
