Sukhbir Badal declared tankhaiya by Akal Takht for religious misconduct
Sikh ministers in SAD-BJP government from 2007-17 directed to appear before Akal Takht and submit their written explanation in 15 days.
Akal Takht, the highest Sikh temporal seat, on Friday declared Shiromani Akali Dal president and former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) for the mistakes committed by the SAD and its government from 2007-17 and also summoned Sikh members of his cabinet during the SAD-BJP regimes.

Pronouncing the verdict from the Takht in the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar, jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh said, “Being the deputy chief minister of Punjab and president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Sukhbir Singh Badal took such decisions that deeply harmed the image of the Panth and greatly weakened the SAD. This damaged Sikh interests, too.”
“The Sikhs who served as ministers in his government from 2007-17 are also directed to appear at the Akal Takht in person and submit their written explanation in 15 days,” he said, adding, “Until Sukhbir Singh Badal does not appear before the Takht Sahib as a humble Sikh in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib, Sikh sangat and Panj Singh Sahiban to apologise for his offences, he is declared tankhaiya.”
Earlier, the Panj Singh Sahiban (Sikh clergy) met at the Takht to decide on the apology letter submitted by the SAD president. The meeting was chaired by Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh. The Sikh clergy included Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh and Takht Kesgarh Sahib jathedar Giani Sultan Singh.
Sukhbir had appeared before the highest Sikh temporal seat on July 24 with a written explanation that he submitted to Giani Raghbir Singh, who had summoned him to respond to recent allegations of rebel SAD leaders.
In a message posted on X, Sukhbir wrote that he bows his head before the highest temporal seat and would soon present himself before Akal Takht to seek forgiveness.
The allegations against him included the revocation of the blasphemy case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim for imitating Guru Gobind Singh in 2007; the failure to punish perpetrators of the Bargari sacrilege and police officials for the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing incidents; allowing the appointment of controversial IPS officer Sumedh Singh Saini as the Punjab DGP besides giving Farzana Alam, the wife of controversial police officer Izhar Alam, the party ticket in the 2012 assembly elections and appointing her chief parliamentary secretary; and lastly, failing to deliver justice to victims in fake encounter cases.
In response, the SAD president had appeared before the Takht and accepted all the mistakes and tendered an unconditional apology in his explanation letter.
SAD: We humbly accept Akal Takht directives
Immediately after Akal Takht pronounced the edict against SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and asking the Sikh ministers during the tenures of the SAD- BJP government to give an explanation for their role in serious mistakes committed during the two terms, the SAD announced that it humbly accept the Takht’s directive.
In a video message, SAD vice-president Daljit Singh Cheema said that the party bows before the edict and would act accordingly. He said that Sukhbir Singh Badal had appeared before Akal Takht last month and accepted his government’s mistakes. He said Sukhbir had announced that the orders of the supreme temporal seat would be followed in true spirit.
On Thursday, Sukhbir appointed senior party leader Balwinder Singh Bhundar as SAD working president, stepping aside from the post of president.
