{Day after being held ‘tankhaiya’} Sukhbir appears before Takht, tenders apology
A day after being held ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) by Akal Takht for the mistakes committed by his party’s government from 2007 to 2017, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday appeared before the highest temporal seat of Sikhs and again tendered a written apology.
A day after being held ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) by Akal Takht for the mistakes committed by his party’s government from 2007 to 2017, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday appeared before the highest temporal seat of Sikhs and again tendered a written apology.
Sukhbir, who was accompanied by senior party leaders, also urged the Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh to call a meeting of the Sikh clergy soon for his atonement.
Sukhbir Badal, who is battling rebellion in the party amid electoral reverses and waning public popularity, was accompanied by senior party leaders and former ministers Daljit Singh Cheema, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Gulzar Singh Ranike and Maheshinder Singh Grewal.
Sukhbir first entered the secretariat of the highest Sikh temporal seat to submit his fresh letter. After that, the SAD leaders paid obeisance at Akal Takht and the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple.
“As soon as he (Sukhbir) received a copy of the hukamnama (edict) today, he visited the secretariat of the Akal Takht and submitted his letter. In the absence of jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, his staff received the letter, wherein he again sought forgiveness from Panth,” Cheema said.
Cheema also read the letter submitted by Sukhbir.
“Daas (servant) accepts hukamnama (edict) passed by Panj Singh Sahiban (head priests) by bowing before Guru Panth as a humble Sikh. By appearing in person, Daas seeks forgiveness as per the hukamnama with humility and humbleness. Please accept my request”, Sukhbir’s letter, as read by Cheema, said.
“I am looking forward to following the next order of the Akal Takht. Please call a meeting of Panj Singh Sahiban (Sikh clergy) soon and give me the opportunity to seek forgiveness as per the hukamnama,” the letter further requested.
Later in a post on X, Sukhbir said: “I have received the copy of the edit and as a humble servant I accept it and accordingly I have appeared before the Akal Takht Sahib and seek forgiveness.”
On Saturday, Takht jathedar said that Sukhbir will remain a ‘tankhaiya’ until he apologises for his “sins” and was asked to appear before the supreme temporal seat within 15 days to seek an apology for decisions that deeply harmed the image of the ‘panth’ and caused damage to Sikh interests.
“Badal would remain a ‘tankhaiya’ until he apologises for his sins before the Akal Takht as a humble Sikh, in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib, Sikh ‘sangat’ (community) and the Sikh clergy,” jathedar said.
In his pronouncement, the jathedar also asked members of the Sikh community, who served as ministers in the Akali government during the concerned period, to appear at Akal Takht in person to submit their written explanation in 15 days.
Cheema, Ranike and Dhillon, who served as ministers during the Akali government from 2007 to 2017, also submitted their explanation letters. “In my letter, I have requested Akal Takht Sahib that I fully agree with the explanation letter submitted by the party president Sukhbir Singh Badal on July 24. The entire cabinet is jointly responsible for the decisions taken during the government. So, I seek forgiveness as a humble Sikh without any argument”, said Cheema.
Grewal, who was an adviser to the CM with cabinet rank during the Badal government, also submitted his explanation letter.
On July 24, Sukhbir appeared before the Takht with his written explanation, where he sought “unconditional forgiveness” for “all mistakes” committed when his party was in power and during his term as deputy chief minister of Punjab (2007 to 2017).
In his letter, Sukhbir had said he was a humble servant of the Guru and always dedicated to the Guru Granth Sahib and the Akal Takht. As head of the family, Badal said he took all the “mistakes” upon himself.
On July 15, Akali Dal rebels appeared before the jathedar and cited mistakes committed during the SAD-BJP government’s 10-year regime, including revocation of the blasphemy case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim for imitating Guru Gobind Singh in 2007; failure to punish perpetrators of the Bargari sacrilege and police officials for the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing incidents, allowing the appointment of controversial IPS officer Sumedh Singh Saini as the Punjab DGP, among others.
