Amritsar/Jalandhar: Five Sikh high priests pronounced SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal guilty of religious misconduct, or “tankhaiya”, in a verdict that requires him to appear before the Akal Takht and seek forgiveness for unspecified “mistakes” when his party was part of coalition govts with BJP in Punjab between 2007 and 2017.
“Some of the decisions taken by Badal as deputy CM and president of SAD caused huge damage to the panthic image.
SAD was weakened, and Sikh interests were badly harmed,” Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh said in Amritsar after the verdict.
“Till Badal appears at Akal Takht in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib, Singh Sahibaans (high priests) and sangat (congregation) to apologise for his gunahan (crimes), he is declared tankhaiya.” The panel directed all Sikh cabinet ministers of the two coalition govts of the specified period to appear before the Akal Takht within 15 days for clarifications.
Besides the Akal Takht Jathedar, the high priests who gave the joint verdict included Takht Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar Giani Sultan Singh, Takht Harminder Ji Patna Sahib Jathedar Giani Baldev Singh, Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, and Golden temple Granthi Giani Baljit Singh.
Sukhbir, who became acting president of SAD in March 2007 and was made deputy CM by his late father and ex-CM Parkash Singh Badal in Jan 2009, said he would soon appear before the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs. “I humbly accept the edict of the Akal Takht,” he said.
Sukhbir, too, apologised for “everything written against him in the complaint” submitted by the dissidents, who have since formed the Shiromani Akali Dal Reform Movement.
The pronouncement by the high priests purportedly makes his “guilt” more serious than what his statement to the Akal Takth chief mentions.
