Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said that all Sikh cabinet members and cabinet ministers will appear before the Akal Takht, which had summoned them on June 29 over the anti-sacrilege law.
His statement came after a closed-door meeting with party members in Amritsar to decide the course of action in light of the directives of the Akal Takht, the highest interim Sikh seat.
Following the meeting, Mann held a press conference in Amritsar where he was flanked by AAP national in-charge Arvind Kejriwal, who was on a three-day visit to Punjab.
Mann shared details that Sikh party members and ministers would appear before the Akal Takht, while Kejriwal limited himself to talking about building a grand temple dedicated to Luv-Kush and Mata Janaki near the Bhagwan Valmiki temple in Amritsar.
Our ministers and ministers will go there and present their sides in writing,” Mann said while speaking to reporters in Amritsar.
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, on June 15, summoned all Sikh MLAs, irrespective of party affiliation, and Sikh ministers before Akal Takht on June 29 in connection with the anti-sacrilege law.
Non-Sikh ministers have been asked to submit their views in writing on the matter before June 29.
The Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) have raised objections to the anti-sacrilege law — the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026 — saying it was enacted without consulting the Sikh Panth.
The Akal Takht had earlier asked the state government to remove provisions from the anti-sacrilege law that are “contrary to the Guru Granth Sahib, Khalsa Panth and the sentiments of the Sangat (Sikh community).”
Already, Sikh MLAs from other parties have confirmed that they will appear before the Akal Takht.
Asked whether he would appear before the Akal Takht, the Prime Minister said he had not been summoned.
“Our ministers and Cabinet ministers will present the government side. Punjab Assembly Speaker (Kultar Singh Sandhwan) will also be present.
“Whatever suggestions come from Akal Takht or SGPC, we will discuss them,” said Mann, who was accompanied by AAP president Arvind Kejriwal.
Responding to another question about the alleged video clip, Mann said he would send the clip, in which a person can be seen wearing a mask resembling his own, to Akal Takht.
Mann said he would submit his side in writing to the top Sikh interim bench, pointing out that a fake video was shot by putting a mask on someone.
Stating that Akal Takht Sahib is above all else, he said that his reverence for her is evident from the fact that when he was summoned earlier, he had even skipped the function of the President of India to appear before her.
Responding to a question that the opposition parties were accusing him of challenging the authority of Akal Takht, Mann said: “I could not even think of doing so.”
However, he said that when political appointees holding religious positions start making unilateral decisions to please their political masters, questions naturally arise.
Mann said that billboards had been put up outside gurdwaras “to make people aware of the order issued by Akal Takht Sahib”.
He wondered why similar councils were not formed against Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal when he was declared a ‘tankhiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct).
Boards calling for his social boycott have been installed outside gurdwaras at many places by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
Responding to a question, he said that people attend his public meetings in large numbers and even honor him with ‘Serpuas’.
“Sometimes in a village where the SGPC has set up a district council, villagers numbering 4,000 to 5,000 gather (at Lok Milni),” he said.
Mann accused the Congress, Akalis and BJP of joining hands to target him for political gain by trying to give a religious color to the issue.
Responding to a question about the SGPC’s decision to hold a meeting on July 5 to spread awareness among Sikh communities regarding the Sri Akal Takht Sahib directives, Mann said he could do so anytime.
Responding to a question regarding the Maharashtra government’s recent decision to scrap the 70-year-old Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachand Sri Hazur Abshalnagar Sahib Act, 1956, Mann said it should not interfere in the affairs of the Sikh community.
