Accept Sukhbir’s resignation, reorganise Akali Dal in 6 months: Sikh clergy

In a decision that can potentially have far-reaching ramifications for the Sikh religio-politics, the five high priests on Monday pronounced ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) on Sukhbir Singh Badal, directing the working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal to accept his resignation as party chief in three days, besides forming a panel to hold elections for the post of SAD president and office-bearers within six months.
Pronouncing the religious punishment for the “mistakes” committed by the SAD and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017, the jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, Giani Raghbir Singh announced to withdraw the title of ‘Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum’ bestowed upon former chief minister late Parkash Singh Badal, and also directed Sukhbir to clean utensils and shoes as ‘sewadar’ at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
The punishment came nearly three months after Sukhbir 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 SAD rule between 2007 and 2017, 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.
During Monday’s meeting, Sukhbir, who had recently fractured his foot in the Golden Temple complex, arrived on a wheelchair and sat with folded hands along with other Sikh leaders, including those now in the rebel camp or joined other political parties during their appearance before the Takht.
The proceedings were started by Giani Sultan Singh, jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, who was among the Sikh clergymen besides Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, Harmandar Sahib granthi Bhai Gurminder Singh and granthi Giani Baljiit Singh.
Giani Raghbir Singh told Sukhbir to answer his questions in ‘yes’ or ‘no’. The questions were: Did Akali government commit sin of discarding the Panthic issues for which many Sikhs attained martyrdom?
Have you committed sin of promoting the cruel officers who killed Sikhs mercilessly and inhumanly, and allotting their kin tickets for elections?
Have you committed sin of withdrawing case registered against Dera Sirsa head who is enemy of Sikhs and Sikh faith?
Have you committed sin of calling jathedars at your residence at Chandigarh and asking them to grant pardon to the dera head?
Saroop of Guru Granth Sahib was stolen from gurdwara. Posters were pasted on walls to challenge the Sikhs. Your government did not trace the men behind this act. As a result, pages of Guru Granth Sahib were torn and scattered in the streets and drains. You shielded the perpetrators of the sacrilege. After this, two Sikh protesters were shot dead while peacefully protesting at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura. Have you committed this sin?
Have you made SGPC issue advertisements in newspapers to justify the pardon managed you?
Sukhbir gave answers of all questions in ‘yes’. However, he tried to interrupt Giani Raghbir Singh on the questions related to Sirsa dera head by avoiding to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and tried to say, that “during our government, many mistakes were committed by us, for which we seek forgiveness”. Giani Raghbir Singh, however, specifically asked him to reply in ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Chandumajra was asked if he was behind sending the attire that Dera Sirsa chief wore to commit blashpemous act of imitating Guru Gobind Singh at Salabatpura in 2007. Chandumajra denied the allegations terming them as a ‘blatant lie’. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa confessed about his role in getting controversial police officer late Izhar Alam into party fold.
After this, the Sikh clergy divided the leaders into three groups and asked them to stand accordingly in front of Takht. The Sikh asked the leaders who remained part of the sins of Sukhbir, to stand with him. They asked those who supported these sins, to stand on one side, and those who remained silent on the other side. Sukhbir was accompanied by working president Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Sucha Singh Langah, Daljit Singh Cheema, Hira Singh Gabria, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Dhindsa senior and his son Parminder Singh Dhindsa.
Giani Raghbir Singh said Sukhbir Badal and rebel leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa have been asked to sit outside the Golden Temple wearing the dress of ‘sewadar’ and holding a spear for one hour each for two days.
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They will also wear small boards around their necks acknowledging their “misdeeds”, and perform the service of ‘sewadar’ at Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Takht Damdama Sahib, Darbar Sahib at Muktsar and Fatehgarh Sahib for two days each.
Both Sukhbir Badal and Sukhdev Dhindsa have been asked to clean utensils and shoes of devotees at the Golden Temple for one hour each, besides listening to ‘kirtan’.
Other Akali leaders, including Bibi Jagir Kaur, Chandumajra, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Bikram Singh Majithia, Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Charanjit Singh Atwal, and Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, were also told to clean washrooms at the Golden Temple for one hour.
The jathedar had summoned the entire Akali Cabinet from 2007 to 2017, the party’s core committee, and the 2015 internal committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
“We have decided that the ‘Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum’ title bestowed upon Parkash Singh Badal be withdrawn,” he said. Parkash Singh Badal was bestowed the title by the Akal Takht in 2011 in recognition for his services during his long political career.
The Sikh clergy further said, “The SAD leadership has lost moral right to give political patronage to the Sikh Panth because of their sins. So, a panel comprising former SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar, Iqbal Singh Jhoonda, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Manpreet Singh Ayali, Santa Singh Umaidpuri and Satwant Kaur, daughter of Shaheed Bhai Amrik Singh, is constituted to initiate recruitment in the party and elect president and other office-bearers in six months”.
“The working committee of the party is directed to accept resignations of all the leaders, including Sukhbir, in three days”, added Giani Raghbir Singh asking the Sukhbir camp and the rebel group camp to bury the hatchet and forge unity by discarding jealous and arrogance.
For 90 lakh advertisement issued to justify pardon to dera chief, Sikh clergy asked Sukhbir, Dhindsa, Langah, Gabria, Bhundar, Ranike and Cheema to deposit this money in SGPC exchequer.
Clarifications sent by former jathedars — Gurbachan Singh (Akal Takht), Gurmukh Singh (Damdama Sahib) and Iqbal Singh (Patna Sahib) — who were among the Sikh clergy in 2015 to pardon dera chief, were not found satisfactory by the Sikh clergy. The Sikh clergy asked the SGPC to withdraw all the facilities from Gurbachan Singh, besides ordering transfer of Gurmukh Singh as Akal Takht head granthi to any other gurdwara outside Amritsar.
The takht also declared former DSGMC president and SAD leader Harvinder Singh Sarna ‘tankhaiya’ for making derogatory remarks against Sikh clergy.