Sukhbir Badal, accused of religious misconduct, appears before the top Sikh body Akal Takht

Sukhbir Badal had previously asked for “unconditional forgiveness” for “all mistakes” (file)

Amritsar:

A day after the Akal Takht found him guilty of religious misconduct, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal appeared before the Sikhs' highest secular seat on Saturday and demanded an apology for the “mistakes” committed by the party and its government from 2007 to 2017.

Besides Mr Badal, his former cabinet colleagues – Daljit Singh Cheema, Gulzar Singh Ranike and Sharanjit Singh Dhillon – as well as Mahesh Inder Grewal, adviser to the then Prime Minister, also submitted their written statements to the Akal Takht.

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh had on Friday found Mr Badal guilty of religious misconduct and declared him a ‘Tankhaiya’.

After a meeting of the five top Sikh priests, the Jathedar had asked Mr Badal to appear before the highest secular seat of the Sikhs within 15 days and demand an apology for the decisions he had taken as deputy chief minister and as chief of the SAD, which had deeply damaged the image of the 'Panth' and harmed the interests of the Sikhs.

Mr Badal will remain a “Tankhaiya” until he apologises for his “sins”, Mr Singh said at the verdict announcement at the Akal Takht complex in Amritsar.

The members of the Sikh community who served as ministers in the Akali government from 2007 to 2017 have also been directed to appear in person before the Akal Takht within 15 days to submit their written statement, he said.

In his letter submitted to the Akal Takht Secretariat on Saturday, Mr. Badal wrote: “As a humble Sikh of the Guru, I accept the edict and humbly bow my head. As per the edict of the Akal Takht, I came to the Akal Takht as a humble servant and apologized with folded hands.”

His former Cabinet colleagues, who also submitted their clarifications, said that they agreed with Mr Badal's clarification and therefore they were all equally responsible for the “mistakes” committed during the former SAD government.

They apologized to the Akal Takht and said that as humble servants they were ready to accept any ‘Tankah’ (religious punishment) imposed by the Akal Takht.

The former ministers submitted their letters separately and agreed to endure the punishment imposed by the Akal Takht.

It is the prerogative of the Jathedar of the Akal Takht to summon Mr. Badal before the five chief Sikh priests, who may impose religious punishment on him according to Sikh teachings.

Mr Badal had earlier asked for “unconditional forgiveness” for “all mistakes” committed during the SAD's seizure of power in Punjab.

He had made his statement only recently after the Jathedar asked him to appear in person before the highest secular seat of the Sikhs after the rebel leaders of the party made allegations and asked him to resign.

Mr. Badal submitted his statement after the Jathedar asked him to appear in person before the highest secular seat of the Sikhs following allegations made by the rebel leaders.

Representatives of the rebel Shiromani Akali Dal, including former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chairperson Bibi Jagir Kaur, had appeared before the Jathedar on July 1 and sought forgiveness for “four mistakes” committed during the party's rule between 2007 and 2017.

Earlier this month, the Akal Takht Secretariat in Amritsar had released a copy of the three-page letter that Mr Badal had submitted to the Jathedar on July 24 regarding the rebel leaders' allegations.

A section of the party leadership has rebelled against Mr Badal and demanded his resignation.

In his letter, Mr. Badal had stated that he and his companions would accept any order of the Akal Takht with humility, in accordance with the Gurmat tradition.

He also attached a copy of a letter written by his father and then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to the Akal Takht in October 2015, which referred to “some tragic incidents” that had occurred in Punjab between 2007 and 2015.

In 2015, when the Shiromani Akali Dal was in power, incidents occurred in Faridkot related to the theft of a ‘bir (copy)’ of Guru Ganth Sahib, hanging of handwritten blasphemous posters and torn pages of the holy book found scattered in Bargari.

During the protests against the sacrilege in Faridkot, two people were killed and several injured by police gunfire.

Referring to the sacrilege incidents in 2015, the rebel leaders had stated that the government at the time was unable to ensure that the guilty were punished.

They also mentioned the 2007 blasphemy case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for allegedly imitating the 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.

They said Mr Badal had allegedly used his influence to get the Dera chief pardoned in the blasphemy case.

In 2015, the Akal Takht pardoned the Dera chief on the basis of a written apology. However, under pressure from the Sikh community and hardliners, it reversed its decision.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)