Chandigarh, June 25: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday stated that a fabricated video was deliberately generated and distributed to malign his image after traditional political opponents failed to challenge his government’s developmental record. Speaking in a detailed address, the Chief Minister maintained that rival factions have formed a combined front to mislead citizens through malicious narratives because they have no viable public issues left to raise.
The Chief Minister expressed complete confidence in the wisdom of the public and the Nanak Naam Leva Sangat, noting that he leaves the final judgment entirely to them. He affirmed that his administration remains completely focused on public service and will continue accelerating efforts in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and job creation regardless of the ongoing smear campaign.
“For the past few days, as part of a very cheap political conspiracy, fake videos of me have been circulated,” Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann stated in a video message. “When my opponents find themselves unable to challenge me on any other front, they try to defame me through religious issues.”
Detailing the structural and physical discrepancies in the footage, the Chief Minister asserted that the individual featured in the recording shares no resemblance with him regarding height, physical build, mannerisms, or overall body language. He noted that the public immediately recognized the manipulation, prompting opposition groups to utilize pressure tactics against independent forensic entities that verified the digital forgery.
“A video was made viral in which neither the person’s physical appearance, height, manner of walking nor body language matches mine,” the Chief Minister declared. “Yet, my political opponents tried to portray me as guilty. However, the people and the Sikh community saw the video and it was obvious to them that it was fake.”
The discourse turned toward the actions of religious bodies, with the Chief Minister questioning the sudden introduction of boycott posters by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). He pointed out the double standards in institutional responses, reminding the public that political leaders who formally admitted direct responsibility for historic sacrilege incidents before Sri Akal Takht Sahib never faced similar public boycotts. He concluded by reiterating that the massive public turnout at regular rural Lok Milnis has caused extreme discomfort among traditional parties, who see no path back to power for the 2027 state elections.
