BJP's Sikhs as 'Traitor' Spin Fails; SGPC Sub-Committee to Check AI Abuse

Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Indian National Congress (INC) were protesting on the steps of Parliament on 4 Feb against the suspension of eight of their MPs. The MPs were suspended for rallying with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over him not being allowed to quote from an article on former Indian Army General Manoj Mukund Naravane’s unpublished memoir critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) MP Ravneet Singh Bittu was passing by the protest side when Gandhi called him 'traitor friend' and extended his hand for a handshake. Bittu refused to shake hands and later claimed Gandhi had insulted the entire Sikh community. Another Minister in the union cabinet Hardeep Singh Puri joined Bittu's claim. Though the government and the media projected the incident as an 'insult' to the Sikhs, the community did not fall for the bait as Gandhi had called Bittu a traitor over him leaving the INC for BJP on the eve of nominations for the general elections in 2024. Meanwhile, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has constituted a sub-committee to review and suggest ways to check the growing misuse of Artificial Intelligence to distort the history, text and teachings of the Sikh religion. The SGPC has also introduced a new dress code for its workers. Concurrently, a row has erupted over the alleged sale of 12K sq. ft. land in Premgarh village which comes under the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority. Gurdwara Amb Sahib owned the land and sold it to various buyers for USD 145K for which the registration was done at the Sub-Registrar Office, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar on 2 Dec 2025. The police have registered a case of cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy against seven persons, including the manager of the Gurdwara. Alongside, the descendant of former Nabha ruler Maharaja Ripudaman Singh, 14-year-old Kunwar Abhyuday Pratap Singh, had his dastaarbandi (turban tying ceremony) at erstwhile royal family’s residence Heera Mahal on 3 Feb. The ceremony was attended by leaders of political parties, former princely families, and heads of various religious sects. The event is being seen as the coronation of the prince but the family clarified it was a ceremony which every male Sikh adolescent ought to follow (earlier coverage).