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Sukhbir Badal has been given toilet cleaning duty by Akal Takht for pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim in 2015
Sukhbir Singh Badal and other leaders of the previous SAD government during the hearing of ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) case by the Akal Takht, in Amritsar. (IMAGE: PTI)
Former Punjab chief minister Sukhbir Badal and his fellow ministers are to clean the bathroom and kitchen premises of the Darbar Sahib and will serve langar to the devotees as part of a religious punishment handed to them by Sri Akal Takht.
Sri Akal Takht is the highest temporal body of Sikhs.
They were handed the corrective measures for supporting Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the 2015 sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib.
The sentence was issued after Mr. Badal offered an unconditional apology to the Akal Takht, acknowledging his mistakes. The Sikh leaders had asked him to respond with either ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Sukhbir Badal responded ‘yes’ to all the questions.
He admitted to crimes including the gun firing incident, sacrilege and backing the dera head.
Sukhbir Badal was granted some leniency due to a leg injury. In addition, the title of ‘Fakhr-e-Qaum’ awarded to his father Prakash Singh Badal when he was Chief Minister was revoked after Baba from Sirsa was forgiven.
The sentence was pronounced by Jathedar 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 office-bearers within six months.
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 on a wheelchair because of a fractured leg, and rebel leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa have been asked to sit outside the Golden Temple wearing the dress of ‘sewadar’ for one hour each for two days.
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.
Both Sukhbir Badal and Sukhdev Dhindsa were asked to clean utensils and shoes of devotees at the Golden Temple for one hour, besides listening to ‘kirtan’.
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 clean utensils at the community kitchen after taking bath.
They will 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.
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.
Sukhbir Badal arrived on a wheelchair as he suffered a minor hairline fracture on his right foot last month.
(with inputs from News18 Punjab)
- Location :
Amritsar, India
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