CM's tweet against Dera Beas head sparks political and religious backlash
By Satinder Bains
CHANDIGARH: Already facing criticism over his recent confrontation with the Akal Takht, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has triggered another major controversy by launching a sharp attack on Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon, head of the Dera Radha Soami Satsang Beas, a sect with millions of followers across India and abroad.
This marks the second instance in quick succession where the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, led by Mann, has locked horns with influential religious institutions, drawing strong reactions from Sikh bodies, opposition parties and community leaders in Punjab. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have accused the Chief Minister of showing disrespect towards religious figures and institutions.
The latest flashpoint emerged after Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon visited jailed SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia at Nabha jail and reportedly stated that all cases registered against Majithia were “fabricated.” The Supreme Court later in the day granted bail to Majithia, a development that further sharpened the political battle lines.
AAP leaders reacted strongly to the dera chief’s remarks. Baltej Pannu, media in-charge of the Chief Minister, criticised Baba Gurinder Singh for making what he termed a “baseless statement, ” cautioning him against commenting on sub judice matters and suggesting that such remarks could amount to interference in the judicial process. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema also weighed in, asserting that it was for the courts to decide Majithia’s fate and claiming that the state government possessed strong evidence in the case. His remarks linking the dera head to a “drug dealer” further escalated tensions.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann himself entered the fray on Tuesday with a caustic post on social media, questioning the dera chief’s statement. “Only God can save the courts if visitors to jails start acting as judges, ” Mann wrote, a comment that quickly went viral and provoked a political storm.
Senior BJP leaders condemned the Chief Minister’s remarks, accusing him of insulting a respected religious leader. Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu described Mann’s comments as arrogant and discourteous, pointing out that Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon has disciples across the world who felt deeply hurt by the Chief Minister’s words.
The controversy comes close on the heels of Mann’s tense engagement with the Akal Takht over the issue of missing saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The Chief Minister had questioned the functioning of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and supported the registration of an FIR against its officials, a move that led to his being summoned by the Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj.
When he appeared before the Jathedar, Mann reportedly carried voluminous documents alleging misuse of SGPC funds, a gesture that Sikh bodies described as confrontational and arrogant. The SGPC accused the Chief Minister of undermining the prestige of the Akal Takht and lowering the dignity of Sikh institutions. AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal also came under criticism from Sikh leaders, who alleged an “anti-Sikh attitude” on the part of the party.
With back-to-back confrontations involving the Akal Takht and the Dera Radha Soami Beas, Bhagwant Mann now finds himself at the centre of a widening debate over the AAP government’s approach towards religious institutions in Punjab—an issue that is rapidly assuming political, social and electoral significance in the state.