SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday accused Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of committing a "heinous act of sacrilege" against the Sikh Gurus and appealed to Sikh religious leaders to take serious note of what he termed an assault on Sikh values and traditions. Addressing a religious congregation at Takhtupura during the Maghi Mela — a site of profound Sikh religious significance and home to historic gurdwaras in Nihal Singh Wala subdivision of Moga district — Badal said he had seen a video showing the conduct of the CM, which is shocking. It amounts to sacrilege, he alleged. Linking the issue to past incidents, Badal alleged that cases of sacrilege escalated in Punjab following the entry of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) into state politics in 2014. He claimed these incidents were part of a conspiracy to divide the Sikh community and defame the Akali Dal, which he claimed as the “true representative of Sikh aspirations.” “Akali Dal would not bow to pressure or intimidation. We will continue to raise our voice against the anti-Punjab and anti-Sikh policies of the AAP government,” he asserted. Seeking the people’s mandate in the 2027 Assembly elections in the state, Badal announced a slew of promises, including free power for farmers, pensions for the elderly, the atta dal scheme, shagun assistance and scholarships for SC students, the stoppage of water to Rajasthan from the Indira Gandhi Canal, and the establishment of medical and technical colleges in the state. He said a commission would be set up to probe alleged false cases registered during the AAP regime, warning of strict action against those found guilty of implicating innocent people