Sukhbir Singh Badal, the former deputy chief minister of Punjab, has been ordered by the Akal Takht to clean the utensils at the Golden Temple and other gurudwaras due to “religious misconduct.”
The Akal Takht, the highest temporal body of the Sikh religion, has requested that Sukhbir Singh Badal, the former deputy chief minister of Punjab, clean the Golden Temple’s dishes for “religious misconduct.”
On August 3, Sukhbir Singh Badal, the head of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), was found guilty of religious misconduct by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, for “the mistakes committed by the party when it was in power in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.” (HT File)
He was found “guilty” of the aforementioned wrongdoing by the Akal Takht in August, and he was labelled a “tankhaiya,” or someone who has broken the Sikh holy code.
What is the case against Sukhbir Badal?
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which ruled Punjab from 2007 to 2017 in coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is accused by the Akal Takht of making “religious mistakes” while in power.
Badal, who served as Punjab’s deputy chief minister in the administration of his late father, Parkash Singh Badal, a supporter of the SAD, was punished for “favouring” Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the leader of the Dera Sacha Sauda, in the 2015 sacrilege case involving the Guru Granth Sahib, the primary sacred text of Sikhism.
In some areas of the Sikh-majority state, the incident had set off a string of violent altercations between Sikhs and Dera members.
Ram Rahim was excommunicated from the Sikh community in 2007, but the Akali leadership was accused of continuing to have relations with him. Sukhbir Badal and other party leaders later persuaded the Akal Takht to “pardon” the Dera chief in the sacrilege case.
The Kotkapura police fire case in October 2015 is one of the instances connected to the sacrilege episode that led to the penalty. The highest Sikh body was also incensed over the nomination of IPS officer Sumedh Singh Saini as the head of the state police.
What penalties are in place for Sukhbir Singh Badal?
On December 3, Sukhbir Singh Badal will clean restrooms from 12 to 1 pm, according to the Sikh clergy at the Akal Takht. He has been instructed to serve Sri Darbar Sahib’s restrooms from 12 to 1 pm, after which he is to wash utensils for an hour and listen to Gurbani. According to news agency ANI, he has been asked to wear a plaque around his neck.
The accusations against Sukhbir Badal have been acknowledged by him. Others who are or were linked with SAD were also subjected to religious retribution by the Sikh clergy. According to ANI, they included Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Hira Singh Gabaria, Sucha Singh Langah, Sukbir Singh Badal, and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa.
According to the account, Sukhbir Badal was ordered to hold a barsha and carry a “jhola on the deori” after arriving at the Golden Temple in a wheelchair due to a damaged leg.
Wearing the “sewadar” dress, he has been instructed to spend two days sitting outside the Golden Temple for an hour each. In Gurudwaras, he must also perform langar for an hour.
The Akali leadership has lost its moral compass, according to the Sikh clergy, and a new president and office holders ought to be chosen within six months. Last month, Sukbir Singh Badal stepped down as president of the Shiromani Akali Dal.
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Shubhangi Gupta is a distinguished content writer and the visionary founder of The Unpleasant – Acha Nahi Sabse Sacha. With a Master’s degree in Commerce from University of Lucknow, Shubhangi has seamlessly blended her academic background with her passion for reading and writing, embarking on a successful career as a content writer since 2019.
