CHANDIGARH: Five high priests of the Sikh community headed by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on Monday pronounced 'tankhah' (religious punishment) to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal.
The working committee of the party was directed to accept Sukhbir's resignation and report back to the Akal Takht within three days besides forming a committee to hold elections for the post of SAD president and office-bearers within six months.
The Fakhr-e-Quom title conferred on late former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal has also been withdrawn as he was the chief minister when 'mistakes' were committed that hurt the Sikh community and its sentiments. The Takht termed the 'mistakes' as nothing short of sin (gunah).
Sikh ministers in the SAD-BJP government and the party’s core committee members were held guilty of religious misconduct for taking 'controversial' decisions during the SAD's tenure from 2007 to 2017.
Giani Raghbir Singh addressed the 'guilty' Akalis from the podium of the Akal Takht, directing them to wear plaques around their necks with a message of their admission of guilt.
Keeping in view the health of Sukhbir, who had suffered a hairline fracture in his leg and is on a wheelchair, he was directed to serve for one hour each for two days at the entrance of the Golden Temple wearing a guard's dress while sitting on a wheelchair. Senior party leader and now a rebel Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa was also awarded identical punishment owing to his old age and health concerns.
Both were also directed to perform sewa at Guru Ram Dass Jee Langar Hall by cleaning utensils and shoes of devotees at the Golden Temple for one hour, besides listening to 'kirtan' as their health allows. They will also perform the service of 'sewadar' at Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Takht Damdama Sahib, Darbar Sahib at Muktsar and Fatehgarh Sahib for two days each.
Meanwhile, all other party leaders and former ministers Sucha Singh Langah, Hira Singh Gabria, Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Daljit Singh Cheema and Gulzar Singh Ranike were directed to clean washrooms for one hour at the Golden Temple, and then clean utensils at the community kitchen and clean shoes of devotees after taking bath. They will also listen to 'kirtan' for one hour, the high priest 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.
Raghbir Singh asked Sukhbir to reveal the truth on the allegations levelled against him about his "dubious role" in facilitating the pardon of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who faced charges of blasphemy, in 2015. He was asked to clarify if he had pressurized the then Takht Jathedars in this regard by calling them to his residence and was directed to answer its queries, pertaining to controversial decisions taken when the party was in power in the state from 2007 to 2017, with either a 'yes' or 'no'.
The Jathedar had summoned the entire Akali Cabinet from 2007 to 2017, the party's core committee, and the 2015 internal committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
The punishment came three months after Sukhbir was declared 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht. This came after rebel party leaders, including Prem Singh Chandumajra, Bibi Jagir Kaur and others, appeared before the Akal Takht on July 1 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.