On Monday, former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, Sukhbir Singh Badal, admitted his involvement in securing a pardon for Dera leader Ram Rahim during the Akali government. This acknowledgment led to a meeting of five Singh Sahibs at the Akal Takht, resulting in a decree for Sukhbir Badal and other cabinet members to face punishment for religious misconduct. Two months ago, Sukhbir was declared 'Tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht.
Service as an Attendant is Mandatory
On Monday, Sikh religious leaders ordered Sukhbir Singh Badal to perform community service at the Golden Temple in Amritsar to atone for the 'mistakes' committed between 2007 and 2017 by the Shiromani Akali Dal and its government. He was ordered to clean utensils and shoes.
Gyani Raghbir Singh delivered this decree from the Akal Takht's stage. He also demanded the resignation of Sukhbir Badal from the presidency of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and instructed the formation of a committee to conduct elections for the SAD president and other office bearers within six months.
Source: aajtak
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It was also announced that the title 'Fakhr-e-Qaum' bestowed upon Sukhbir Badal's late father, former Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal, would be withdrawn. Additionally, other Sikh leaders of the Akali cabinet from 2007 to 2017 were also handed religious punishments. Gyani Raghbir Singh instructed Sukhbir Badal, who was wheelchair-bound due to a leg fracture, and rebel leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa to dress as attendants and clean utensils and shoes outside the Golden Temple for an hour. Subsequently, both are to serve as attendants for a day each at Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Takht Damdama Sahib, Darbar Sahib Muktsar, and Fatehgarh Sahib.
Washing Dishes, Listening to Keertan
Sukhbir Badal and Sukhdev Dhindsa were instructed to spend an hour cleaning utensils and shoes while listening to 'Keertan'. Earlier, Sukhbir accepted his errors, including his involvement in pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case. This sentence was pronounced three months after Sukhbir was declared 'Tankhaiya' by Akal Takht.
Source: aajtak
Instructions for Cleaning Bathrooms
Other Akali leaders like Sucha Singh Langah, Hira Singh Gabria, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Daljit Singh Cheema, and Gulzar Singh were ordered to clean bathrooms for an hour at the Golden Temple, followed by dish cleaning service. They were also instructed to listen to Keertan for an hour. Furthermore, leaders including Bibi Jagir Kaur, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Bikram Singh Majithia, Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Charanjit Singh Atwal, and Aadesh Pratap Singh Kairon were directed to engage in bathroom cleaning at the Golden Temple.
These Four 'Mistakes' Were Committed
The Akal Takht’s chief summoned the entire Akali cabinet, the party’s core committee, and the internal committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee of 2015 regarding four 'mistakes' committed during the Shiromani Akali Dal's governance from 2007 to 2017. These included failing to punish those guilty in the 2015 sacrilege incident and the pardon granted to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
