queen777 Former Punjab DY CM Sukhbir Badal Serves Punishment At Golden Temple: Here's Why

Former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal | Photo: X/@sakanakodar Former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal | Photo: X/@sakanakodar

A day after the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of Sikhs, issued religious punishment for former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and other leaders for “mistakes” made by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government during its 2007–2017 tenure, the party chief began his sentence outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

On Tuesday, Badal was seen standing guard outside the temple, wearing a plaque around his neck and holding a spear. With his leg in a cast, he sat surrounded by his security team and several Akali leaders.

The Akal Takht directed Badal and other Akali Dal leaders, including former Cabinet ministers, to perform tasks such as cleaning toilets, serving in the community kitchen, reciting daily Sikh prayers (Nitnem), and reading the Sukhmani Sahib.

Sukhbir Badal at Sri Darbar Sahib Complex to serve day 1 of Tankhah. pic.twitter.com/LSoUxVBOzY

— ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Saka Nakodar:4Feb86 ਸਾਕਾ ਨਕੋਦਰ:੪ਫ਼ਰਵਰੀ੮੬ (@sakanakodar) December 3, 2024 Reasons Behind The Punishment

The Akal Takht held the Shiromani Akali Dal responsible for several “religious mistakes” during its decade-long alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab.

Sukhbir Badal, who served as deputy CM under his father, the late SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal, was specifically punished for his role in the 2015 Guru Granth Sahib sacrilege case. This incident, which involved the desecration of Sikhism’s central holy scripture, sparked violent clashes between Sikhs and followers of Dera Sacha Sauda across Punjab.

The Akali leadership was also criticised for maintaining ties with Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh despite his excommunication by the Sikh community in 2007. The party was also accused of securing a pardon for Ram Rahim in the sacrilege case.

Badal-led Akali Dal Faces A New Challenge: Accusation Of Religious Misconduct

BY Ashwani Sharma

On Monday, the Akal Takht pronounced 'tankhah' (religious punishment) for Sukhbir Badal and other leaders. The punishment required the SAD chief to wash dishes and clean shoes at the Golden Temple as part of his service ('sewa'). Giani Raghbir Singh, the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, announced the directives from the temporal authority’s podium ('faseel') in Amritsar.

The Jathedar also announced the withdrawal of the honorary title 'Fakhre-e-Qaum' previously bestowed upon late Parkash Singh Badal, who passed away in April last year after serving as Punjab’s chief minister five times.

In addition to punishing Sukhbir Badal, the Akal Takht instructed the Shiromani Akali Dal’s working committee to accept his resignation as party president. It also called for the formation of a committee to hold elections for the SAD’s top office-bearersqueen777, including the president, within six months. Other Akali leaders who served as ministers or were part of the party’s core committee during 2007–2017 were also handed religious punishments by the Sikh clergy.