Declared 'guilty of religious misconduct', Sukhbir Badal appears before Akal Takht

A day after being declared ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday (August 31) appeared before the Takht and sought forgiveness.

The SAD chief was accompanied by former party ministers Daljit Singh Cheema, Gulzar Singh Ranike and Sharanjit Singh Dhillon. Along with Badal, the former ministers also submitted their explanations as sought by the Akal Takht.

Talking to the media outside the Akal Takht Secretariat in Amritsar, Cheema said Badal received a copy of the edict on Saturday and he made it a point to reach the holy city the same day. He said the party chief has urged Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh to call a meeting of the five Sikh high priests so that he may appear before them and tender apology.

Earlier, following a meeting of the five Sikh high priests, the Akal Takht Jathedar had asked Badal to appear before the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs within 15 days to seek apology for the decisions he took as the deputy chief minister and as the SAD chief that deeply harmed the image of the ‘Panth’ and caused damage to Sikh interests.

The members of the Sikh community, who served as ministers in the Akali government from 2007-17, were also directed to appear at the Akal Takht in person to submit their written explanation in 15 days.

The Akal Takht Jathedar did not give details of the “mistakes” committed by Badal. However, incidents related to sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib had taken place at Bargari village in Faridkot in 2015 when the SAD was in power. Subsequently, two persons were killed and several injured in police firing during the anti-sacrilege protests in Faridkot.