Taking religious punishment, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal was seen sitting in a wheelchair at the Golden Temple in Punjab’s Amritsar on Tuesday morning. He had a plaque hanging around his neck and a spear in his hand. Sri Akal Takht Sahib recited the religious punishment called ‘Tankah’ in Sikhism to Sukhbir Singh Badal and other party leaders on Monday.
As part of the religious punishment, which is said to be for ‘mistakes’ committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017, the senior Akali leader has been made to work as a ‘sevadar’ at the Golden Temple in Amritsar and wash utensils and Instructions were given to clean the shoes. Shiromani Akali Dal leaders are required to wear small boards around their necks acknowledging their “wrongdoings” and perform ‘Sevadaar’ service for two days each at Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Takht Damdama Sahib, Darbar Sahib at Muktsar and Fatehgarh Sahib. Was asked to do.
Badal’s religious punishment
Giani Raghbir Singh, Jathedar of the highest religious seat of Sikhs at Akal Takht in Amritsar, pronounced the religious sentence on Monday. Pronouncing the order from the ‘Faseel’ (stage) of the Akal Takht in Amritsar, Giani Raghbir Singh also announced the withdrawal of the title of ‘Fakhre-e-Qaum’ given to former Chief Minister late Prakash Singh Badal, father of Sukhbir Badal.
Prakash Singh Badal, five-time Chief Minister of Punjab, died in April last year. The Jathedar also directed the working committee of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to accept the resignation of Sukhbir Badal as party chief and form a committee to hold elections for the post of SAD president and other office-bearers within six months.
Sukhbir Singh Badal had tendered his resignation as SAD president in November. Five ‘Singh Sahibans’ (Sikh clergy) also announced religious punishment for other Sikh leaders who served as ministers in the Akali cabinet and were part of the party’s core committee from 2007 to 2017. Giani Raghbir Singh said that Sukhbir Badal and rebel leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa have been asked to sit outside the Golden Temple wearing ‘sevadar’ attire and holding a spear for one hour each for two days.
Both Sukhbir Badal and Sukhdev Dhindsa have been asked to clean utensils and shoes of devotees at the Golden Temple for an hour each, besides listening to ‘kirtan’. Sukhbir Badal came in a wheelchair due to a fracture in his leg, and Sukhdev Dhindsa also came in a wheelchair due to age-related problems.
Before the order was pronounced, Sukhbir Badal admitted his mistakes, including pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a blasphemy case in 2007 during the Akali Dal rule in Punjab. The punishment came nearly three months after Sukhbir Badal was declared ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht.
Punjab: Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal sits by the gate at Golden Temple in Amritsar with a plaque around his neck and spear in his hand as one of the religious punishments pronounced for him by Sri Akal Takht Sahib yesterday. https://t.co/NNC4BR0sWt pic.twitter.com/9A1VhO3Bte
— ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2024
