Chandigarh-Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira (Bholath) protested in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on 7 August 2026 by turning his back on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann while the CM was speaking. In a post with video, Khaira said he was following the Akal Takht Jathedar’s directions not to interact with Mann, whom the Takht has declared “Guru Dokhi” and “Panth Virodhi.” He called it a protest against Mann’s challenge to the Sikh temporal seat’s authority and urged all Sikh ministers and MLAs to avoid interaction until Mann apologises to the Akal Takht.The dispute stems from mid-June 2026, when the Akal Takht declared Mann “Guru Dokhi” and “Khalsa Panth Virodhi” over a viral video allegedly showing disrespectful remarks about Sikh tenets, directing the community not to associate with him. Mann has called the video fake or the work of someone in a mask and maintains he respects the Takht. The same day, the Takht summoned Sikh MLAs and ministers over the anti-sacrilege law passed without full consultation; they appeared on 29 June and agreed to re-amend it, with a one-month window given. Khaira has been a vocal critic of Mann on these issues. This latest protest highlights the ongoing political-religious tension between the AAP government and the Akal Takht.