Why Punjab politician Sukhbir Singh Badal performed penance outside Golden Temple? What was he punished for?
Sukhbir Singh Badal
Senior Punjab politician and former deputy chief minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal, on Tuesday (Dec. 3) performed 'tankhah', a religious punishment at the Golden Temple in India's Amritsar.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader was seen in blue sewadar clothes, holding a spear outside the temple while a small board hung around his neck acknowledging his "misdeeds". Due to a fracture in his leg, he was seen performing the punishment wheelchair-bound.
This comes a day after Badal was sentenced to perform the penance by Sikh clergy. But what was he punished for? Here's all you need to know.
Also read |Sukhbir Badal wears plaque around neck, sits at entrance of Golden Temple on first day of penance
What was Sukhbir Singh Badal punished for?
On Monday (Dec. 2) the Sikh clergy at the Akal Takht—the highest temporal seat for Sikhs—sent Sukhbir Singh Badal and other Shromani Akali Dal leaders to perform 'tankhah' as penance for the "mistakes" committed by the SAD government in Punjab between 2007 and 2017.
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The mistakes include pardoning the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case during the SAD rule in Punjab and misusing SGPC funds for giving advertisements justifying the pardon.
Furthermore, the SAD government was accused of allegedly failing to nab the perpetrators of the 2015 sacrilege incidents and police firing incidents at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura.
Badal admitted the charges and also accepted that the SAD government had given positions to officers who allegedly killed youths in fake encounters.
Sukhbir Singh Badal's punishment
Badal, along with rebel leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, has been asked to sit outside the Golden Temple wearing the dress of 'sewadar' and holding a spear for one hour each for two days. While doing this, they have to wear small boards acknowledging their "misdeeds" around their necks. Additionally, they have been instructed to clean the utensils and shoes of devotees at the Sikh shrine and listen to the 'kirtan' (religious hymns) there.
In addition, while pronouncing the order from the 'faseel' (podium) of the Akal Takht in Amritsar, it withdrew the title of 'Fakhre-e-Qaum' bestowed upon former chief minister late Parkash Singh Badal, father of Sukhbir Badal.
Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh also directed the working committee of SAD to accept the resignation of Sukhbir Singh Badal as the party chief. He also instructed them to form a committee and hold elections for the post of president and other office bearers within six months.
(With inputs from agencies)
