CHANDIGARH: The Akal Takht (highest temporal seat of Sikhs) on Wednesday declared Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains as 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) over violation of 'maryada' (religious code) in connection with a controversial dance performance at the commemoration event of Guru Teg Bahadur's 350th martyrdom held in Srinagar last month. The Takht ordered him to undergo religious punishment.
Pronouncing the verdict from the Takht in the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar, five Sikh high priests - led by Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj - said that Bains will have to walk barefoot from the Golden Temple to Gurdwara Guru Ke Mahal, located roughly half a kilometre away in a narrow street.
He has also been instructed to visit Baba Bakala, a holy town near Amritsar and Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Delhi. He has been asked to do a two-day ‘sewa’ (voluntary service), of cleaning shoes and sweeping the premises of Anandpur Sahib. He has also been directed to offer ‘deg’ of Rs 1,100 and participate in ‘ardas’ seeking forgiveness.
Bains said that as a devout Sikh, he humbly accepts the punishment from the Jathedars and would undertake the tasks to atone for his mistakes.
The Akal Takht had summoned Bains today, while Language Department Director Jaswant Singh, currently out of the country, is expected to appear soon, as both
Bains and Language Department Director Jaswant Singh were directed to appear before five Sikh high priests for an explanation. The Akal Takht had summoned Bains today, while Jaswant Singh, currently out of the country, is expected to appear soon.
Following the directive, Bains had earlier issued an apology on social media, stating that as a Sikh Cabinet Minister, he accepted the mistake "committed knowingly or unknowingly" by the event’s management.
The Takht further said that while governments should organise seminars, symposiums, and lectures on the life and teachings of the gurus, it should make sure that Sikh religious norms are respected. It specifically stated that the government should take the help of the Dharam Parchar Committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in such functions.
The event was organised last month by the Language Department of the Punjab Government in association with the J&K Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages. It has drawn sharp criticism from Sikh bodies such as the SGPC, which object to 'singing and dancing' on the occasion.
Earlier, famous Punjab singer Bir Singh tendered an unconditional apology to the Akal Takht over the faux pas he had performed at this function.
The event was part of a series of Punjab government initiatives to mark the centenary, featuring singers and dance performers, provoking outrage within the Sikh community, particularly on social media.
The videos have gone viral on social media along with a symbolic picture comparing the massacre of Sikhs during the Mughal period with a picture of singing and dancing at an event organised by the government on July 24.
SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami had strongly condemned the incident.