Akal Takht ‘tankhah’ for Sukhbir Badal: clean shoes, utensils at Golden Temple

The Sikh clergy at the Akal Takht on 2 December, Monday, pronounced tankhah (religious punishment) for Sukhbir Singh Badal for the "mistakes" committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017, directing him to perform as a sewadar and clean utensils and shoes at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Pronouncing the order from the faseel (podium) of the Akal Takht in Amritsar, the jathedar of the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, Giani Raghbir Singh, also directed the working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to accept the resignation of Sukhbir Badal as party chief, besides forming a committee to hold elections for the post of SAD president and other office-bearers within six months.

The jathedar further announced to withdraw the title of 'Fakhre-e-Qaum' bestowed upon former chief minister late Parkash Singh Badal, father of Sukhbir Badal.

The five Singh Sahibans (Sikh clergy) also pronounced religious punishment for other Sikh leaders who served as ministers in the Akali cabinet during 2007 to 2017.

Giani Raghbir Singh said Sukhbir Badal, who was in a wheelchair because of a fractured leg, and rebel leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa have been asked to sit outside the Golden Temple wearing the sewadar's garments for one hour each for two days.

They will also perform the service of sewadar at the Takht Kesgarh Sahib, the Takht Damdama Sahib, the Darbar Sahib at Muktsar and the Fatehgarh Sahib for two days each.

Both Sukhbir Badal and Sukhdev Dhindsa were asked to clean the utensils and shoes of devotees at the Golden Temple for one hour, besides listening to kirtan.

Before the pronouncement of the edict, Badal admitted his mistakes, including pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case during the SAD regime.

The punishment came nearly three months after Sukhbir Badal was declared tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht.

The jathedar also directed Akali leaders Sucha Singh Langah, Hira Singh Gabria, Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Daljit Singh Cheema and Gulzar Singh Ranike to clean washrooms for one hour at the Golden Temple, and then to clean utensils in the community kitchen after taking a bath.

They must also listen to kirtan for one hour, the jathedar said.

Other Akali leaders, including Bibi Jagir Kaur, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Bikram Singh Majithia, Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Charanjit Singh Atwal and Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, were also told to clean washrooms at the Golden Temple for one hour each.

The jathedar had summoned all the members of the Akali cabinet from 2007 to 2017, the party's core committee and the 2015 internal committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

Sukhbir Badal arrived in a wheelchair as he had suffered a minor hairline fracture in his right foot last month.

He was declared tankhaiya after rebel party leaders, including Chandumajra, Kaur and others, appeared before the Akal Takht on 1 July and sought forgiveness for four "mistakes" during the SAD rule between 2007 and 2017, including failure to punish those responsible for the 2015 sacrilege incidents and pardoning Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case.