In a far-reaching development, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Badal was on Friday indicted by Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs.
The Five Sikh High Priests, led by Giani Raghubir Singh, declared Sukhbir Badal ‘Tankhiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) and asked him to appear before Akal Takht Sahib within 15 days as a common Sikh.
The SAD cabinet from 2007-2017, which was led by Parkash Singh Badal, now dead, was asked to appear before the Akal Takht to explain their actions which caused harm to Sikh ‘panth’.
Akal Takht is the Sikh community’s apex religious institution where it can seek an apology for any religious or ethical misconduct.
A day earlier, Sukhbir Badal, who had been facing disenchantment within the party, appointed his long-time family loyalist and former Rajya Sabha member Balwinder Singh Bhunder as the party’s working president.
Party rebels and several Sikh organisations have been asking Badal to step down from the post of president.
Earlier, the Akal Takht secretariat released a letter written by Sukhbir Badal to the Akal Takht Jathedar. “I take responsibility for all mistakes, whether made by the party or during the regime of Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal).
Sukhbir Badal had said he was ready to face whatever punishment would be given by the Akal Takht sahib.
Among several issues, Sukhbir Badal’s letter referred to the 2015 sacrilege incidents, saying the then SAD government could not ensure punishment for the guilty.
The letter mentioned that Sukhbir Badal allegedly used his “influence on Akal Takht” to ensure a pardon for Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who was booked in 2007 for allegedly imitating Guru Gobind Singh.
The rebel leaders alleged that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had spent nearly Rs 90 lakh on newspaper advertisements to justify the decision of pardoning the Dera chief.