CHANDIGARH: Atoning for ‘misdeeds’ allegedly committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government under his leadership, Sukhbir Singh Badal performed the duty of a sewadar (volunteer) outside the Golden Temple today. SAD party delegates will meet on December 14 to elect a new president and office-bearers, as the Akal Takht (highest temporal body of Sikhs) triggered reforms within the party. The Sikh clergy had on Monday conferred ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) on SAD members Sukhbir, senior leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, former Punjab minister and brother-in-law of Sukhbir Bikram Singh Majithia. Sukhbir Badal wore blue clothes to signify his position as ‘sewadar’ and a plague around his neck acknowledging his ‘misdeeds’. He held a spear in one hand and was seated on a wheelchair as he had recently fractured his leg. Sukhdev Singh had been conferred the same punishment. He was also in a wheelchair due to old age. The two were positioned near the entrance of the Golden Temple and served as ‘sewadar’ for one hour.Sukhbir Badal and Bikram Singh washed utensils later. The leaders were pronounced ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht for mistakes committed by the SAD government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. The Sikh clergy, on Monday, directed Sukhbir Badal to serve as a ‘sewadar’, wash dishes and clean shoes at the Golden Temple, three months after declaring him guilty. Before the pronouncement of the verdict, Sukhbir Badal admitted his mistakes, including pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case during the Akali rule in Punjab. His father and former Punjab chief minister, late Parkash Singh Badal, has also been stripped of the Fakhr-e-Qaum (pride of the Sikh community) honour that was bestowed on him in 2011 for services to the community.SAD has called a meeting of party delegates on December 14 to elect a new president and office-bearers. The six-member reforms panel, constituted by the Sikh clergy, consists of SAD leaders, rebels and a representative from the clergy, including Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami, SAD MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, Jhoondan committee head Iqbal Singh Jhoondan, Santa Singh Umaidpur, Sudhar Lehar convener Gurpartap Singh Wadala, and Bibi Satwant Kaur (daughter of Bhai Amrik Singh).Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar said, “the historic hearing at Akal Takht yesterday has further elevated the status of this supreme institution of the Panth (community). The decision has not only increased the honour of this institution but the Quam is also proud that our Gurus created such a powerful institution to guide them, which is capable of guiding those who have diverted from the path shown by the Gurus.”
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