“This Video Is Not Mine”: Bhagwant Mann Claims Mask-Wearing Man Created Viral Clip, Calls It a Conspiracy to Defame Him
A dramatic new twist has emerged in the controversy surrounding a viral video allegedly linked to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) releasing fresh visuals that it claims expose the origin of the disputed footage.
On Thursday, the party shared a video on social media showing a man seated inside a vehicle holding what appeared to be a face mask resembling Bhagwant Mann. AAP alleged that the individual was involved in creating the viral clip that triggered a political storm in Punjab and accused opponents of orchestrating a campaign to tarnish the Chief Minister's image.
Addressing a press conference, Mann identified the man as Jagman Samra and claimed he was the person seen carrying the mask. The Punjab Chief Minister further alleged that the same individual had also prepared a mask resembling AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal.
Questioning the origin of the mask, Mann said, “Where did you get the mask made?... We have the pic and video of Jagman Samra, who is the main blackmailer carrying the mask... This person has also made the mask of Arvind Kejriwal...”
The Chief Minister claimed that Samra is currently based in Canada and pointed out that he himself has not travelled to Canada since 2016, suggesting that the resemblance may have been used to create misleading content and spread false narratives.
Mann accused opposition parties of attempting to damage his reputation after allegedly failing to challenge his government politically. He said, “They cannot compete with us politically because they have been reduced to zero at the grassroots level. That is why efforts are being made every day to defame me religiously.”
Maintaining that he was not the person seen in the controversial footage, Mann reiterated that he had denied any connection to the video from the beginning and challenged authorities to subject the footage to forensic examination or any other scientific scrutiny.
The controversy has already generated intense political reactions. The BJP recently demanded action against the Punjab Chief Minister, citing allegations that officials had allegedly arranged a fake forensic report to declare the video manipulated.
The issue gained further significance after the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of Sikhism, took note of the controversy. The religious body had earlier acted against Mann over allegations linked to the video, which opponents claimed showed disrespect towards Sikh Gurus.
