Pilgrims arriving at the Golden Temple under the Punjab government’s Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana on Saturday were asked to remove the photo ID card of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann before entering the complex of the holiest Sikh shrine.
This comes days after Akal Takht issued an edict declaring Mann as “anti-Guru” and “anti-Panth” over an objectionable video allegedly related to the Prime Minister. Mann refuted these allegations and confirmed that the man who appeared in the video was not him and used a mask to impersonate him.
SGPC Secretary Balwinder Singh Kalwan said ID cards bearing such photos are propaganda, which cannot be allowed in Darbar Sahib.
Read also: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann says the mask used to create the video is spam
On Saturday, some Sikh activists pledging allegiance to Oz Qawam and SGPC staff were seen asking pilgrims to remove their ID card, in addition to demanding that they sever ties with the Prime Minister.
“We were at Darbar Sahib to organize a fair to mark the anniversary of the 1955 police action. We noticed devotees arriving at the shrine carrying identity cards around their necks and carrying a picture of Bhagwant Man,” said Awaaz-based leader Noblejit Singh.
He added: “We politely informed them that Akal Takht had issued a ruling against Mann, so they should not carry his photo inside the holy place. Many of them were convinced and removed the IDs immediately. Those who were hesitant, the GPC employees advised them to remove them.”
A video clip was also circulated on social media showing pilgrims being asked to remove their ID cards, which sparked various comments.
AAP state president Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal’s spokesman and media advisor Baltej Pannu did not immediately respond to calls for comment.
The Mukhyamantri Tirath Yatra allows permanent residents of Punjab, aged 50 and above, to undertake religious pilgrimages free of charge. The Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government covers all Hajj expenses, including air-conditioned travel, food, accommodation and medical facilities.
In its first phase, the scheme covers Darbar Sahib, Durgiana Temple and Bhagwan Valmiki Mandir in Amritsar, apart from Anandpur Sahib Temple and Naina Devi Temple in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh.
On June 14, the government expanded the scheme by adding four new destinations – Salasar Balaji Dham and Khatu Shyam Ji in Rajasthan, Haridwar Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, and Mathura Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh.
