Akal Takht declares Sukhbir Badal a sinner for ‘severely damaging Sikh interests’ as SAD chief & dy CM

Akal Takht Jathedar declared SAD chief a 'tankhaiya', guilty of religious misconduct, and asked him to 'atone for his sins, failing which he will remain a sinner of Sikh religion'.

Jathedar of the Akal Takht Giani Raghubir Singh and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal | File Photos | Credit: ANI

Chandigarh: The Akal Takht, the highest temporal body of the Sikhs, Friday declared Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal a ‘tankhaiya’ (a sinner, guilty of religious misconduct).

The decision was announced from the ramparts of the Akal Takht building at the Golden Temple in Amritsar by Jathedar Giani Raghubir Singh, following a joint meeting of the jathedars of the five Takhts (seats of authority of the Sikhs).

Reading out the decision in the presence of the other four jathedars, Singh said the Akal Takht has found Badal guilty on account of taking decisions that led to “severe depletion of the image of the Sikh community, deterioration of the condition of the Shiromani Akali Dal and damaging Sikh interests”. These decisions, he added, were taken by Badal in his capacity as deputy CM and SAD chief. Badal remained the deputy CM of Punjab from 2007 to 2017, and has been the party’s president since 2008.

The Akal Takht has asked Badal to “atone for his sins” like a “humble Sikh in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib, the five high priests and the Sikh community, failing which he will continue to be a sinner of the Sikh religion”.

Reacting to the decision, Badal wrote on X that he accepts the decision and will shortly present himself for accepting his tankha and atone his “sins”.

ਵਾਹਿਗਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ
ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫ਼ਤਹਿ

ਮੀਰੀ ਪੀਰੀ ਦੇ ਸਰਵਉੱਚ ਅਸਥਾਨ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖ਼ਤ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਜਾਰੀ ਹੁਕਮ ਨੂੰ ਦਾਸ ਸਿਰ ਨਿਵਾਂ ਕੇ ਪ੍ਰਵਾਨ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।
ਹੁਕਮ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਜਲਦੀ ਹੀ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖ਼ਤ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦੇ ਸਨਮੁੱਖ ਪੇਸ਼ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਖ਼ਿਮਾ ਜਾਚਨਾ ਕਰਾਂਗਾ ਜੀ। pic.twitter.com/nmE3aWa8tv

— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) August 30, 2024

The Akal Takht’s move comes a day after Badal appointed Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Akali Dal secretary general and chairman of the party’s disciplinary committee, as SAD’s working president, seen as a preemptive bid at damage control.

It also comes in the wake of a deepening crisis within the SAD leadership, with a rebel group of the party demanding that Badal step down as president and take complete responsibility for SAD’s worsening electoral performance since the 2017 assembly elections.

Reacting to the Akal Takht’s declaration, rebel leader Gurpartap Singh Wadala, who is the convener of the Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar, said in a video message that Badal had no moral authority to continue as the president of the party and should resign.

“The Akal Takht has held Badal guilty on several counts including damaging the interests of the Sikh community. In the eyes of the people, a person who has been declared a tankhaiya has the same position as that of a disgraced man. And such a person should take moral responsibility for his mistakes and step down from the position of a leader,” said Wadala.

Last month, Badal had offered an unconditional apology to the Akal Takht for its consideration, admitting to a series of allegations levelled against him by the rebel group in the Akali Dal.

Among other things, the rebel group held Badal responsible for the failure of the then SAD government (2012-2017) in nabbing those responsible for incidents of sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib in 2015. Sukhbir Badal was deputy chief minister at that time and had held the vital home portfolio. The rebel group also held Badal responsible for orchestrating the granting of pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Singh Ram Rahim the same year through the Akal Takht, a decision that was later retracted following a huge backlash from the Sikh community.

The group further charged that Badal appointed controversial policeman Sumedh Singh Saini as a DGP of Punjab despite him facing allegations of torturing and killing innocent Sikh youth during the days of militancy. It also held Badal responsible for appointing Farzana Alam, the wife of another controversial police officer, Izhar Alam, who is facing similar charges, as chief parliamentary secretary in the Akali government.

While declaring Badal as ‘tankhaiya’, the Akal Takht also sought a written explanation from those who were part of former CM Parkash Badal’s cabinet in 2015, to be submitted in person within 15 days.

How a ‘tankhaiya’ atones

Loosely defined, a ‘tankhaiya’ is any Sikh who has violated the rehat maryada (Sikh code of conduct) or done anything that is detrimental to the Sikh religion. It is a centuries-old tradition. The Akal Takht Jathedar, accompanied by the four Singh Sahibaan (jathedars of four holy takhts of Sikhism, in addition to the Akal Takht which is the supreme seat of power) alone can declare a person a ‘tankhaiya’ after following due procedure.

A Sikh declared a ‘tankhaiya’ by the Akal Takht is a “sinner” of the Sikh community and has to undergo atonement (tankha) decided by the Akal Takht. In order to accept the punishment, the ‘tankhaiya’ has to present themselves before the Akal Takht and seek forgiveness. Once the tankha or punishment is completed, the ‘tankhaiya’ is forgiven. In case a ‘tankhaiya’ does not undergo this punishment, they face the possibility of excommunication from the Sikh community.

The punishment is of a religious, humbling nature, like cleaning the premises of the Golden Temple, polishing the shoes of gurdwara visitors, washing utensils used in the langar (community kitchen), or helping in the community kitchen.

On 1 July, the rebel group had submitted a complaint against Badal to the Akal Takht alleging that he had “failed to  satisfactorily represent the Sikh Panth (community).  The rebel group also apologised for being party to Badal’s decisions.

The rebel group includes senior party leaders Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Sikander Singh Maluka, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Surinder Singh Thekedar and Charanjit Singh Brar. Last month, the group launched the Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar (Akali Dal reform movement) aiming to oust Badal from the party and take control of the party.

The same day, Badal was summoned by the Akal Takht seeking clarification on the allegations levelled against him by the party’s dissident group. On 24 July, Badal appeared before the Akal Takht and handed over his reply in a sealed cover. Earlier this month, the contents of Badal’s letter were made public.

Badal had offered an unconditional apology before the Akal Takht for “all the allegations” levelled against him by the rebel group.

Without questioning or rebutting the charges, Badal had said that he was “no one” to offer any arguments or defense before the Akal Takht which was “supreme” and he was seeking forgiveness as a “humble devotee”. Badal added that he would accept any decision taken by the Akal Takht in the matter.

(Edited by Gitanjali Das)