Devotees arriving at the holy Sikh shrine Darbar Sahib were asked to remove identity cards carrying the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s photograph before entering the shrine. This step was taken after Akal Takht found Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann guilty of religious misconduct, and had branded him Khalsa Panth Virodhi.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann was declared Guru Dokhi and Khalsa Panth virodhi after a controversial video of him went viral which allegedly showed him offending the sentiments of Sikhs.
Notably, a large number of devotees from different districts of Punjab visited Darbar Sahib under the Punjab government’s Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana. However, as per a Tribune report, Sikh activists associated with the Awaaz-e-Qaum organisation noticed that many devotees were wearing identification cards bearing Bhagwant Mann’s photograph and they were asked to remove these I-cards before being allowed entry.
The activists’ argument was that Akal Takht Sahib had declared Bhagwant Mann a “Guru Dokhi” so devotees should not enter the holy Gurudwara premises wearing identity cards displaying Bhagwant Mann’s photograph.
Earlier, the decision to shun CM Mann was announced from the podium of Akal Takht by Jathedar Gargaj as he declared Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as “Guru Dokhi” and “Khalsa Panth Virodhi”.
