Akali Dal's Sukhbir Badal, on wheelchair, begins penance at Golden Temple

On August 30, Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Raghbir Singh, along with four other high priests, had declared Sukhbir Badal a 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct).

In Short

• Akal Takht found Sukhbir Badal guilty of wrong political decisions
• SAD leaders directed to clean washrooms and utensils at Golden Temple
• Controversial pardon to Dera Saucha chief led to penance

Sukhbir Singh Badal, who resigned as president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) last month, arrived at the Golden Temple in Amritsar in a wheelchair to serve a religious punishment after the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal authority of the Sikhs, found him guilty of taking "wrong political decisions" when his party was in power in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.

The former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab was also wearing a plaque around his neck acknowledging his "misdeeds" and holding a spear.

On August 30, Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Raghbir Singh, along with four other high priests, had declared Sukhbir Badal a 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct).

And on Monday, the Sikh authority directed the former Deputy Chief Minister and other senior SAD leaders to serve the penance.

As part of the punishment, the SAD leaders have been directed to clean washrooms, wash utensils, and undertake other religious duties to atone for their actions, which included granting a pardon to controversial Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in 2015.

A video shared by news agency ANI showed the SAD leaders Daljit Singh Cheema, Bikram Singh Majithia and Maheshinder Singh Grewal cleaning toilets at the Golden Temple.

The Jathedar had directed Akali leaders Sucha Singh Langah, Hira Singh Gabria, Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Daljit Singh Cheema and Gulzar Singh Ranike to clean washrooms from noon to 1 pm today, and then clean utensils at the community kitchen after taking a bath.

They will also listen to 'kirtan' for one hour.

Other party leaders, including Majithia, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Charanjit Singh Atwal and Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, were also told to clean washrooms at the Golden Temple for an hour.

Citing the same controversies during the Akali regime, the Akal Takht has also withdrawn the prestigious title of 'Fakhre-e-Qaum' (Pride of the Community) conferred on former Chief Minister and Sukhbir Badal's Parkash Singh Badal, who died in April 2023.

The punishments came after days-long proceedings by Akal Takht in which Sukhbir Badal admitted to playing a role in the controversial pardon granted to Gurmeet Ram Rahim, a decision that sparked widespread criticism within the Sikh community.

In view of the Sikh authority's religious interests, the SAD Working Committee had unanimously decided not to contest recent by-elections to four Assembly seats in Punjab.

(With PTI inputs)