Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal and other senior party leaders on Tuesday reached the holiest of Sikh shrines, Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as the Golden Temple, in this city of Punjab with a plaque around their necks to perform 'sewa (selfless service)', including cleaning bathrooms, utensils, and devotees’ shoes.
Donning a guard’s blue-coloured dress, Sukhbir Badal, who was in a wheelchair owing to a hairline fracture in the foot, served for one hour at the entrance of the Golden Temple.
Senior Akali leader and now a rebel Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who was also awarded similar punishment, was also in a wheelchair owing to his elderly age and performed the duty of a guard.
A day earlier, the five high priests directed senior Akali leaders, including Sukhbir Badal, to perform as a 'sewadar' by washing dishes and cleaning shoes as part of ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) for the “sins” committed by his government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.
The Akal Takht also revoked the ‘Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum’ (pride of community) tiled bestowed on Sukhbir’s father Parkash Singh Badal in 2011. Senior Badal was punished posthumously for being party to ‘anti-Sikh’ decisions made during his tenure as Chief Minister.
Sukhbir Badal along with the leaders of the Akali Dal, who were cabinet ministers, cleaned bathrooms, utensils, and devotees’ shoes, besides serving ‘langar’.
The punishment was declared from the ramparts of the Akal Takht Sahib at Golden Temple by Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, following a joint meeting of the jathedars of the five takhts (seats of authority of the Sikhs).
The five high priests also directed the working committee of the Akali Dal on Monday to accept Sukhbir Badal’s resignation as party chief in three days, besides forming a panel to hold elections for the post of president and office-bearers within six months.
The punishment came three months after Sukhbir Badal was declared ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) after rebel party leaders appeared before the Akal Takht on July 1 and sought forgiveness for ‘mistakes’ during the Akali Dal rule, including failure to punish those responsible for the 2015 sacrilege incidents and pardoning Sirsa dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case.
In view of the injured foot, Sukhbir Badal was directed to serve as a guard for one hour each on December 3 and 4 at the entrance of the Golden Temple wearing a guard's dress while sitting in a wheelchair.
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