S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali), June 25:- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann today exposed the conspiracy behind a fake video that went viral on social media to malign his image on religious grounds by presenting evidence. Showing the videos and other material before the media, the Chief Minister said that a mask resembling his was made and used to make the fake video. He identified Canada-based Jagman Samra as the person he said had shot the video using the mask.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this fake video was filmed in a hotel in Canada, while he has not visited that country since 2016. He further said that this mask was delivered to Jagman Samra in a car and after this Samra was clearly seen holding it in his hand. The Chief Minister also raised the point that the mask is clearly visible in the video and the mark of his neck operation is missing. The Chief Minister said that those who made the fake video have been identified and they will be exposed after investigation. He also announced that this matter along with evidence will be placed before Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
Sharing the video on social media platform X, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann wrote: “Elders have always said that in the house of God there is delay, not darkness. My dear Punjabis, for the last few days my political opponents have played politics on a fake video of mine. Today a mask has exposed the real faces of those opponents. I have been saying this from the beginning that I am not the person seen in that video.
The Chief Minister wrote at the end of the post, “My head has always bowed before Sri Akal Takht Sahib and will always bow. My trust, my conscience and the intelligent people of Punjab stand with me. Who was the mastermind of this whole conspiracy? In the coming days, we will make more big revelations about this too. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh”
Addressing the media, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, "For the past several days, a fake and fabricated video of mine has been repeatedly going viral. Religious orders were also issued to gain political benefits from this. Political bosses are using people in religious positions to get announcements made according to their own interests so that I can be defamed religiously because they cannot compete with me politically. They have completely failed at the grassroots level and have now resorted to issuing one order after another every day to defame me religiously."
The Chief Minister said, “Our government has done unprecedented work for the social, economic and religious welfare of the people of Punjab. Be it strict laws against sacrilege, tax waiver for vehicles carrying Palki Sahib, convening a special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha at Anandpur Sahib at the feet of Guru Sahib during the 350th martyrdom anniversary celebrations of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji or granting ‘holy city’ status to three cities home to the Takht Sahibs of the Sikhs, they cannot compete with these decisions.”
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, "All opposition parties have now united with only one purpose, to target Bhagwant Mann through false videos so that people start hating me, but that will never happen."
Questioning the role of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, he said, "Boards have been put up outside the Gurdwaras, in which people have been asked to boycott Bhagwant Mann in the name of the orders of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, whereas I fully respect the supremacy of Sri Akal Takht Sahib along with the entire Sikh community around the world. Why were such boards not put up when Sukhbir Badal was termed as 'salaried'? Why were people not asked to boycott those responsible for the sacrilege incidents and police firing? When the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president himself says that he is a soldier of Sukhbir Badal instead of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, it becomes clear to whom his loyalty lies."
Expressing his devotion to Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “When I was called to Sri Akal Takht Sahib, I went there as a humble Sikh. Even today, if I am called, I will appear without any hesitation. I can never challenge the supremacy of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, nor do I have the authority to do so.”
Referring to the video released of the proceedings of appearing at Sri Akal Takht Sahib, he said, "I had requested that this proceedings be broadcast live, but I was told that only one recording would be kept for the five Singh Sahibs. Now that recording is also being edited and released selectively. In that recording too, I am saying that I am not the person shown in the viral video. Anyone can get it checked."
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, "Yesterday, the Congress held a press conference and called on the people to boycott Bhagwant Mann, alleging that he had challenged the supremacy of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. The same Congress, which demolished Sri Akal Takht Sahib and fired tanks and shells during 1984, is now claiming that it will protect the dignity and sanctity of Sri Akal Takht Sahib."
He further said, “The second party is the Akali Dal, which has a history of sacrilege. The third party is the BJP, whose leaders advised Indira Gandhi that an attack was the best option, which led to Operation Blue Star. Today, all these three parties have come together and formed a united front against Bhagwant Mann. This only proves that he has become politically exhausted. Wherever he goes, he cannot gather people, while people are joining me in large numbers.”
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “I am visiting villages every day. Today I am going to village Jalur in Barnala district. Yesterday I was in village Dharampura in Budhlada and the day before that I was in Mandi Kalan in Maur assembly constituency. Every day I meet people in villages. People climb on houses and rooftops to listen to us. They discuss water supply, electricity, employment, village ponds, roads and development. While people are talking about development, my opponents are trying to divert the attention of Punjab towards fabricated controversies.”
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “After presenting today’s evidence, I believe I need not say anything else. I leave the decision to the Guru Nanak Naam Leva Sangat.”
Referring to the frame-by-frame (moment-by-moment) of the video, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The mask is clearly visible. A clear line can be seen where the mask ends. That person’s chin is completely clear, while there is a clear mark of surgery on my chin since the age of five. That mark is also visible in my old videos, including my early comedy videos. Whoever made this fake video forgot to recreate this mark.”
He added, “The line of the neck, ears, facial structure and skin tone also clearly show that a person has a mask on their face. The movement of the neck also highlights the folds (wrinkles) caused by the mask. The eyes could not be shown properly through the mask, which is why dark glasses have been used to hide them. One can verify these details by zooming in on the video.”
“This mask was specially ordered and made,” he said. “On the day it was delivered, Canada-based blackmailer Jagman Samra recorded a video inside his car with the mask on his hand. He also took pictures showing the mask and explaining how it fits on another person’s face.”
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Later, a fake video was shot by putting the same mask on another person. The room shown in the video is a hotel room in Abbotsford, Canada. I have not been to Canada since November 2016. Since then, I have been contesting elections and then became a Member of Parliament. The design of the hotel room itself reflects the style of construction that became common only after 2017-18. Who keeps pictures of Guru Sahib inside the hotel room?”
He further said, “This same person had also ordered Arvind Kejriwal’s mask. We will present that evidence in the coming days.”
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann further said, “We will also reveal who financed this operation, who paid to make these fake videos, who produced them and who directed them. Those revelations will also be shocking. We just want to confirm some remaining details before putting everything in front of the public.”
He said, “This same hotel room was used to shoot other alleged private videos being linked to me. All these videos were shot on the same day, with the same person wearing a mask. That is why I have been continuously saying that I am not the person seen in those videos. The body shape, gestures, way of walking and the way of sitting and standing do not match me.”
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The evidence we have presented today will also be sent to Sri Akal Takht Sahib and it will be requested that it be thoroughly investigated. How can a person wearing a mask be directly declared Bhagwant Mann?”
In response to a question about Jagman Samra, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “He is a resident of a village near Sangrur, who had escaped from Faridkot jail via Nepal and finally reached Canada. He is a blackmailer, his name is associated with drugs and he has been involved in such activities many times.”
Citing other allegations, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The allegations of two IPS officers going to Gurugram are also false. Anything can be said from people through agencies. Whenever we present evidence, there is an attempt to defame it by making new allegations.”
He further said, “An FIR has already been registered in this case. The evidence that we have presented today will also be handed over to the police. We will initiate the process of bringing this person back through Interpol.”
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this matter will also be raised with the Punjab Vidhan Sabha committee. He further informed that Jagman Samra had earlier blackmailed the son of a former Union Agriculture Minister and demanded a huge amount of money and had also targeted leaders during the farmers' agitation.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Such fake videos always surface during election days. During the last elections too, fabricated videos were made viral, claiming that I had drunk alcohol, was falling, or was not even able to eat a burger. These are election time weapons because my opponents have nothing else to present.”
Finally, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The people of Punjab know the truth. Every day when I go to the villages, people tell me that they understand very well who is behind these conspiracies. The public knows everything.”