Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa sits at Darshani Deori gate in sewadar's attire
AMRITSAR: Former (SAD President and former deputy chief minister Punjab Sukhbir Badal with a plaque around his neck while sitting in a wheelchair because of a fractured leg on Tuesday morning arrived at the Golden Temple on his first day of penance.
A day after the Akal Takht, the highest temporal body of Sikhs, pronounced religious punishment for Sukhbir Singh Badal and other leaders for “mistakes” committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017, the party chief started his religious sentence by standing guard outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Tuesday.
This comes after he was declared a 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) in August by Akal Takht, which announced religious punishment for him. Badal, who served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab from 2007 to 2017, wiil now take up 'sewadar' work - washing utensils, cleaning shoes and bathrooms - at the Golden Temple.
The Akal Takht issued the punishments for him citing the "mistakes" and "some decisions" taken by SAD and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.
Pronouncing the 'tankhah' (religious punishment), the Sikh clergy at the Akal Takht, said Sukhbir Singh Badal will clean bathrooms from 12:00 to 1:00 PM on December 3. He was asked to wear a plaque around his neck.
Former MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa was directed to wear the robe of sewadar and sit outside Darshani Deori for an hour daily. "The order for 'sewa' is an order for me. This is the order of the Almighty that has been pronounced for me by Akal Takht... I will sit by the gate, I will also offer my services at 'langar', said Dhindsa.