Sukhbir Badal arrives at Golden Temple on first day of his penance

AMRITSAR: Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday morning arrived at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on his first day of penance. He was seen wearing a plaque around his neck while sitting in a wheelchair because of a fractured leg.

This comes after he was declared a ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) in August by Akal Takht, which announced religious punishment for him. Badal, who served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab from 2007 to 2017, wiil now take up ‘sewadar’ work — washing utensils, cleaning shoes and bathrooms — at the Golden Temple.

The Akal Takht issued the punishments for him citing the “mistakes” and “some decisions” taken by SAD and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. The five High Priests, headed by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, also asked the working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to accept the resignation of Sukhbir Badal as party chief and said that the ‘Fakhar-e-Quam’ title bestowed on former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal “is withdrawn”.

#WATCH | Punjab: Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal arrives at Golden Temple in Amritsar with a plaque around his neck following the religious punishment pronounced for him by Sri Akal Takht Sahib yesterday.

The punishment includes a directive to perform as a… pic.twitter.com/4no3IstT9N

— ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2024

Pronouncing the ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment), the Sikh clergy at the Akal Takht, said Sukhbir Singh Badal will clean bathrooms from 12 pm to 1 pm on December 3. He was asked to wear a plaque around his neck.

Reading the order, Giani Raghbir Singh had said that Sukhbir Badal, along with Cabinet Ministers, need to submit their written explanations within 15 days.

“A meeting of the Panj Singh Sahibs (five high priests of the Shri Akal Takht) was held at the Shri Akal Takht Sahibji in which it was unanimously decided that Sukhbir Singh Badal, as the Deputy Chief Minister of the Punjab Government and president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, took some decisions which have harmed the image of ‘Panthak Swaroop’. The situation of Shiromani Akali Dal has deteriorated and Sikh interests have suffered a lot. Therefore, his partner Sikh Cabinet Ministers, who were present in the government from 2007 to 2017, need to submit their written explanations in this regard within 15 days before the Shri Akal Takht”, he said.

Former MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said, “The order for ‘sewa’ is an order for me. This is the order of the Almighty that has been pronounced for me by Akal Takht… I will sit by the gate, I will also offer my services at ‘langar’…”

Sukhbir Badal has admitted the charges against him. The Sikh clergy also pronounced religious punishment for some others who are or were associated with SAD. They included Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Sucha Singh Langah, Hira Singh Gabaria and Balwinder Singh Bhundar. (ANI)