Why Akali Dal's Sukhbir Badal And Others Are Serving Punishment At The Golden Temple

The Akal Takht found him guilty of taking “wrong political decisions,” including granting a pardon to controversial Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in 2015.

Sukhbir Singh Badal Edited by
Why Akali Dal's Sukhbir Badal And Others Are Serving Punishment At The Golden Temple

Why Akali Dal's Sukhbir Badal And Others Are Serving Punishment At The Golden Temple (image-X/sakanakodar)

Punjab: Sitting in a wheelchair and a plaque around his neck, the former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal arrived at the Golden Temple in Amritsar to serve the religious punishment given to him by the highest temporal body of Sikhs in a sacrilege case.

Photos surfaced of the former Deputy CM of Punjab, who was also wearing a plaque around his neck and a spear in his hand, acknowledging his “misdeeds.” On August 30, Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Raghbir, along with four other high priests, declared Badal a tankhaiya or guilty of religious misconduct.

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In Sikhism, being declared tankhaiya involves a public acknowledgement of wrongdoing, where the accused must seek forgiveness before the community or the Sangat, in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. It’s followed by a punishment that typically includes acts of service, such as cleaning the Gurdwaras, washing utensils, and other tasks that demonstrate humility and contrition.

The Akal Takht, the supreme temporal authority of the Sikhs, found him guilty of taking “wrong political decisions,” including granting a pardon to controversial Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in 2015, when SAD-BJP coalition government was in power in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.

Following long proceedings by Akal Takht, Badal admitted to using his influence to grant a pardon to Gurmeet Ram Rahim after he was excommunicated by the Sikh body for dressing like Sikh Gurus and performing a ceremony. The decision had sparked widespread criticism among the Sikh community and clashes among Dera followers and Sikhs in the state.

The Sikh authority directed the former deputy CM and other senior SAD leaders to serve the penance, which included cleaning washrooms and utensils and undertaking other religious duties to atone for their actions. According to the Akal Takht, Badal’s actions had harmed the Sikh interests and the reputation of the Panth (community).

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The Jathedar directed the Akali leaders, including Hira Singh Gabria, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Sucha Singh Langah, and Daljit Singh Cheema, to clean washrooms from noon to 1 pm today and then clean utensils at the community kitchen after their bath. They are also directed to listen to ‘kirtan’ for an hour.

The Sikh authority had withdrawn the title of ‘Fakhre-e-Qaum’ (Pride of the Community) conferred on former Punjab Chief Minister and Badal’s father Parkash Singh Badal, citing the same controversies during the Akali regime.