Amritsar, December 2 (IANS). Akal Takht, the highest religious body of the Sikhs, has sentenced former Punjab Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal to cleaning the kitchen and washroom in the Gurudwara for taking the side of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in 2015.
Sukhbir Badal and Akali Dal leaders, who were members of his cabinet in 2015, will clean toilets in the Golden Temple on December 3 from 12 noon to 1 pm. After this we will take bath and serve langar. Will clean utensils for one hour and listen to Gurbani for one hour. He has also been sentenced to clean shoes. A plate will be placed around his neck.
This religious punishment has been pronounced after the meeting of five Singh Sahibans called by Akal Takht Sahib’s Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh. Two months ago, Sukhbir Singh Badal was declared ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht.
Due to Sukhbir Singh Badal’s injured leg, he will wear a cloak and sit on a wheelchair and keep guard outside Darbar Sahib.
At the time of granting amnesty to Sirsa Dera, Prakash Singh Badal was the Chief Minister, hence the title ‘Fakhar-e-Qaum’ given to him was taken back.
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh has directed the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) working committee to accept the resignation of Sukhbir Badal within three days and report to Akal Takht Sahib.
He accepted the allegations leveled against Sukhbir Singh Badal. This punishment has been given after Sukhbir Singh Badal accepted his mistakes and apologized unconditionally to Akal Takht.
Sukhbir Singh Badal was declared Tankhaiya by the Akal Takht in August after he was found guilty of religious malpractices for mistakes made by the party when it was in power in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. These included granting amnesty to Gurmeet Ram Rahim in sacrilege cases, which had led to clashes between Dera followers and Sikhs in parts of Punjab.
–IANS
AKS/AKJ
