Chandigarh, June 25 (IANS) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Majithia on Thursday said Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had committed a self-goal by changing his version on the video in which he was seen committing sacrilege against the Guru Sahiban and Guru Granth Sahib for the third time.

Majithia alleged that the Chief Minister was “making repeated somersaults and speaking a hundred lies to defend one lie.” He said another theory was now being put forward, with the Chief Minister claiming the figure in the video was wearing a mask.

He added that a questionable page about CM Mann’s old associate, Jagman Samra, was being publicised to create a new conspiracy theory. Majithia asked Mann not to concoct new stories at every press conference, but instead submit to the Akal Takht and seek forgiveness.

Majithia said: “First, Mann said the video was a product of artificial intelligence. When the Akal Takht reports disproved this, the Chief Minister said the person in the video was not him. Now he is claiming that the person in the video is wearing a mask of his likeness. Earlier, he said the person was one inch taller than him; today, he claimed the person was two inches taller.”

He argued that instead of resorting to lies, the Chief Minister should have sent the video to CFSL in Chandigarh or any other government-approved laboratory for examination. He alleged that Mann gave the responsibility of procuring fake forensic reports to two senior police officers from purported laboratories that existed only on paper.

Majithia demanded action against police officers Jashandep Singh Gill and Swapan Sharma, saying once a case was registered against them, the conspiracy to refute the findings of the Akal Takht Sahib would be exposed.

He alleged that Gill’s father-in-law was a senior functionary of AAP, indicating the officer was deputed for a “hatchet job.”

He said an impartial probe would also lead to the money trail and fix responsibility on the Aam Aadmi Party leadership. Majithia demanded that AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal break his silence and clarify his position.

He also asked the AAP Cabinet ministers who had owned the report to explain their stand once it was proven to be fake.

The SAD leader further demanded a separate probe into attempts to vitiate the communal atmosphere in the state by the AAP at the behest of Pakistan’s ISI agency.

–IANS

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