The decision was taken at a special general meeting of the SGPC held at Teja Singh Samundri Hall in Amritsar

NEW DELHI: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Thursday endorsed the Akal Takht Sahib’s declaration of Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann as ‘Guru Dokhi’ (anti-Gur) and ‘Khalsa Panth Virodhi’ (anti-Khalsa Panth), while announcing a large Panthic gathering on 5 July to mobilise support for the directive and initiate legal action against the Aam Aadmi Party leader.The decision was taken at a special general meeting of the SGPC held at Teja Singh Samundri Hall in Amritsar, attended by Sikh religious leaders, jathedars, representatives of the five Takhts and granthis of Sri Harmandar Sahib. The meeting was chaired by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami.The SGPC resolved to pursue legal action and register a police case against Mann, asserting that he no longer has the moral authority to continue as Punjab chief minister.The committee also announced that a major Panthic gathering would be held on 5 July at Gurdwara Manji Sahib Diwan Hall to make Sikhs aware of the Sri Akal Takht Sahib’s directive. It further resolved to launch extensive campaigns across every Assembly constituency and send preaching groups to encourage Sikhs to uphold the directive.Addressing the gathering, Akal Takht jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said that Akal Takht Sahib is the supreme authority for Sikhs and obeying its directives is every Sikh’s duty.He also termed Mann’s challenge to the Akal Takht an affront to the institution.Gargajj alleged that governments were continuously attempting to gain direct control over Sikh institutions and called for unity among the Panth.Dhami alleged that the Punjab government’s agenda was aimed at targeting Panthic institutions.The SGPC also passed a resolution stating that the controversial video linked to the chief minister had caused widespread anger among Sikhs.“Rather than acknowledging his mistake before Akal Takht Sahib, the CM is repeatedly making false statements and disrespecting the highest temporal Sikh authority,” the resolution said.The resolution further emphasised that Akal Takht Sahib, established by Guru Hargobind Sahib, remains the supreme religious and Panthic authority of Sikhs, and that respecting its directives is the collective responsibility of the Sikh community.The controversy dates back to an edict issued by the Akal Takht on 15 June, when it declared Mann ‘Guru Dokhi’ and ‘Khalsa Panth Virodhi’ after claiming that a purported video showing a man resembling the chief minister engaging in acts deemed sacrilegious had been found to be “authentic” by two forensic laboratories.The issue originated earlier this year when the Akal Takht summoned Mann in January over his alleged remarks on ‘Guru ki Golak’ (gurdwara donation box) and over “objectionable activities” involving pictures of the Sikh Gurus and slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the purported video clip.Mann has consistently denied the allegations, reiterating that he was not the person seen in the video and claiming that the individual in the clip was wearing a mask resembling his face.