A day after being directed to undertake religious penance, Sukhbir Singh Badal, the former president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), began his atonement at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Tuesday. The directive, issued by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority for Sikhs, holds Badal and other Akali leaders accountable for “mistakes” committed during the party’s governance from 2007 to 2017.
Despite a fractured leg, Badal arrived in a wheelchair, wearing a plaque around his neck to mark the start of his penance.
‘Tankhah’ Pronounced by Sikh Clergy
The Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Raghbir Singh, announced the religious punishment from the ‘faseel’ that is the podium of Akal Takht, that Badal and his companions be assigned various forms of sewa. This includes washing dishes and cleaning shoes while dressed as a sewadar outside as a part of ‘sewa’ for one hour each day for two consecutive days.
Other directives included:
- Performing ‘sewa’ at Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Takht Damdama Sahib, Darbar Sahib at Muktsar, and Fatehgarh Sahib for two days each.
- Listening to ‘kirtan’ and actively serving devotees at community kitchens.
The clergy also revoked the honorary title of ‘Fakhre-e-Qaum’ (Pride of the Community) conferred on late former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir’s father.
Responsibilities for Other Leaders
The Akal Takht also handed down specific tasks to several Akali leaders who served in the state cabinet or the SGPC’s core committees during the 2007-2017 regime:
- Leaders such as Sucha Singh Langah, Hira Singh Gabria, and Balwinder Singh Bhundar were directed to clean washrooms at the Golden Temple for an hour and then perform kitchen duties.
- Prominent figures, including Bibi Jagir Kaur, Bikram Singh Majithia, and Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, were tasked with similar acts of humility.
These leaders were called to account for a series of allegations, the main one being the controversial presidential pardon extended to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a blasphemy case dating back to 2007, a decision that has been termed a serious blunder in SAD regime rule .
Apart from the ‘tankhah’, Akal Takht has asked the SAD working committee to accept Sukhbir’s resignation as party president. A committee will be formed to conduct fresh elections of SAD office-bearers within six months for initiating a major restructuring within the party.
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