Akal Takht Jathedar declares Sukhbir Badal 'Tankhayia', rebel Akali leaders demand his resignation
By SATINDER BAINS
CHANDIGARH: The Sikh clergy is facing a major challenge of restoring the lost glory of 'Akal Takht', the highest temporal seat of Sikhs in Amritsar. The case of Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who has been declared 'Tankhayia' (guilty of religious misconduct) has given an opportunity to the Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh to get rid of shadow of political clout of Badal family over religious institutes including Akal Takht and SGPC.
Sukhbir Singh Badal is continuing to be president of SAD despite being declared 'Tankhayia' by the Sikh clergy for the sins he had committed by him(Sukhbir Badal) and his late father Parkash Singh Badal. The rebel Akali leaders who have been demanding resignation of Sukhbir Badal in a written complaint to Akal Takht Jathedar had blamed Sukhbir Badal for pressuring Sikh clergy to grant pardon to dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh, an accused of blasphemy in the year 2015. It was alleged that Sukhbir Badal summoned the high priests to his residence to force them to sign the verdict.
Sukhbir Badal who was Deputy Chief Minister and home minister during the SAD-BJP government headed by Parkash Singh Badal from 2007 to 2017. He was accused to appointing Sumedh Singh Saini as DGP of Punjab and patronising former DGP Mohammed Izhar Alam despite opposition by Sikh organisations. Both of them were accused of killing thousands of Sikh youth in fake encounters. Badal family was also accused for not able to stop sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and patronising the dera members who were allegedly involved in the sacrilege cases.
Sukhbir Badal was also blamed for holding secret meetings with Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh and withdrawing case of blasphemy against Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh who had adorned the dress of Guru Gobind Singh. Sukhbir Badal also allegedly struck a deal of votes with dera chief in lieu of allowing release of his film in Punjab.
The image of Akal Takht was dented when former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh allegedly under pressure of Badal family. There was an uproar against the apology and anger against Badal family which forced the Sikh clergy to withdraw their decision. Later it emerged that Dera Chief had never apologised from Akal Takht and a note written by dera chief in Hindi was allegedly translated in Punjabi at Badal's residence and apology word was added to it.
The Sikh world over bow before the authority of Akal Takht and get guidance to practice Sikh rituals. In the past two decades, the authority of Akal Takht was diluted due to control by political leaders mainly the Badal family which used the Sikh institutes for their political motives. Not only Akal Takht, the SGPC was also controlled by Badal family.
The decision of Sukhbir Badal not to resign from his post of president is considered as arrogance even after he was declared a sinner in the eyes of Sikh community. He had appointed his stooge Balwinder Singh Bhundar acting president but no powers were given to Bhundar to run the party. The rebel SAD leaders said that SAD president has no power to appoint acting president and power lies with the party delegates, the core committee and the executive committee.
Sukhbir Badal had appeared before Akal Takht a day after he was declared Tankhayia and handed over a letter to staff of Akal Takht in the absence of Jathedar Giani Rakhbir Singh who was out of station. It is up to Akal Takht Jathedar to accept or not to accept his letter of apology whereas he was told to appear in person before the Sikh clergy. Is this another mistake Sukhbir Badal has committed and undermined the authority of Akal Takht?