Akal Takht Orders Akali Dal Leaders to Clean Toilets at Golden Temple as Part of Punishment

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders, including Bikram Singh Majithia and Daljit Singh Cheema, were seen cleaning toilets at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Tuesday, in accordance with a religious punishment issued by the Akal Takht, the supreme authority in Sikhism. This directive came after the Akal Takht held them accountable for “religious misconduct.”

The religious body imposed the punishment on several prominent Akali leaders, including former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, for actions taken during their alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) between 2007 and 2017. The punishment was a result of the Akali Dal’s mistakes during this period, including controversial decisions such as pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a 2007 blasphemy case.

Sukhbir Badal, along with senior leaders Sukhbir Singh Dhindsa, appeared at the Golden Temple, wearing “sewadar” attire as part of their penance. Both leaders, who were in wheelchairs due to health reasons, served as sewadar (volunteers) for an hour. Boards acknowledging their “misdeeds” were placed around their necks during their service. Badal had earlier admitted to his mistakes before the Akal Takht’s ruling, including his role in pardoning Ram Rahim.

In addition to the punishment, the Akal Takht ordered the Shiromani Akali Dal working committee to accept Sukhbir Badal’s resignation as party president and revoked the “Fakhar-e-Quam” (pride of community) title that had been awarded to his late father, Parkash Singh Badal, a former Punjab Chief Minister.

This action is seen as part of the Akal Takht’s efforts to ensure accountability among political leaders and maintain the integrity of Sikh religious practices.