The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, on Monday pronounced a ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) for Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal over the “mistakes” committed by the party and its government in Punjab between 2007 and 2017. Sukhbir has been directed to serve as a ‘sewadar’ (volunteer) at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, cleaning utensils and shoes.
Five Singh Sahibans (Sikh clergy) pronounced the religious punishment from the ‘faseel’ (podium) of the Akal Takht in Amritsar.
The edict was announced by Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, who also ordered the SAD’s working committee to accept Sukhbir Badal’s resignation as the party president and form a committee to hold elections for the president’s post and office-bearers within six months.
Additionally, the title of ‘Fakhre-e-Qaum’ (Pride of the Nation) given to former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir’s father, has been revoked.
The ruling also included other Sikh leaders who were ministers during the Akali government’s tenure from 2007 to 2017. Both Sukhbir Badal, who attended the ceremony in a wheelchair due to a recent injury, and rebel leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa have been instructed to sit outside the Golden Temple dressed as sewadar for an hour each over two days. They will also serve as sewadar at other prominent Gurdwaras, including Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Takht Damdama Sahib, and Fatehgarh Sahib, for two days each.
The leaders have been asked to clean utensils and shoes at the Golden Temple, listen to kirtan, and clean washrooms at the shrine for one hour. Additional Akali leaders, including Sucha Singh Langah, Hira Singh Gabria, and Balwinder Singh Bhundar, will also perform similar religious penance.
Sukhbir Badal admitted to the mistakes during the SAD’s rule, including pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case, a decision which contributed to the controversy. This punishment follows a previous declaration of Sukhbir as ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht in September after rebel party leaders sought forgiveness for several incidents during the SAD’s governance.
Sukhbir Badal’s apology and the subsequent punishment are seen as part of the Akal Takht’s efforts to hold political leaders accountable for actions that have impacted the Sikh community.
Speaking on the decision of the Akal Takht, Sikh scholar Jaspal Singh said, “As per the Akal Takht’s verdict, the Shiromani Akali Dal will be reorganised. The entire structure of the party will be reorganised. This means that the ‘Badal Akali Dal’ has been abolished, and a new Akali Dal will be formed within six months. We, however, cannot say that whether Badal family will have control on the new Akali Dal or not.”
(With PTI inputs)