SGPC officials asked devotees under Punjab’s Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana to remove identity cards carrying Chief Minister
July 5, 2026: Devotees visiting the Golden Temple under the Punjab government’s Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana were asked by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Task Force to remove identity cards displaying Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s photograph before entering the sanctum sanctorum. SGPC officials said publicity of any kind is not permitted inside the gurdwara, and such identity cards have no place within the shrine premises. A video showing pilgrims being instructed to remove the cards has since gone viral on social media.
The development comes weeks after the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of the Sikhs, declared Mann ‘Guru Dokhi’ (anti-Guru) and ‘Khalsa Panth Virodhi’ (anti-Khalsa Panth) over an alleged objectionable video. The edict, issued on June 15, followed claims that two forensic laboratories had found the video to be authentic. However, Mann denied appearing in the clip, maintaining that the individual shown was wearing a mask resembling his face.
The controversy stems from allegations that Mann made remarks about ‘Guru ki Golak’ (gurdwara donation box) and engaged in objectionable activities involving images of Sikh Gurus and slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the purported video. The Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana, meanwhile, offers free pilgrimage to religious sites for Punjab residents aged 50 years and above, but the latest incident has added a fresh political dimension to the scheme.