Chandigarh: Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seats of Sikhs, on Wednesday declared Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains "tankhaiya" (guilty of religious misconduct) in connection with a controversial song and dance performance at the commemoration event of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s 350th martyrdom held last month in Srinagar.
Bains Directed To Perform Community Services
Bains has been directed to perform a series of acts of "sewa" (community service) as part of sentence (tankha) granted by the five Sikh high priests, led by Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj - which included a barefoot pilgrimage from Golden Temple to Gurdwara Guru Ke Mahal, about half a km away and a visit Baba Bakala, a holy town about 40 km from Amritsar and Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib, Delhi.
Bains has also been directed to do two-day "sewa’’ (community service) including cleaning of footwears and sweeping the premises of Anandpur Sahib as a part of the atonement to offer ``deg’’ of Rs 1,100 and participate in "ardas’’ seeking forgiveness.
Akal Takht Summoned Bains Over Controversial Event
It may be recalled that the Akal Takht had on July 26 summoned to appear and explain before the five Singh Sahiban (Sikh clergy) - the education minister Bains and the language department director, Jaswant Singh Zafar, whose department organised the said controversial event held in Srinagar, J & K, on July 24 last, to mark the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur. The said event had drawn the ire of the Sikh organisations who stated that the same turned a solemn event into an entertainment affair by the state government.
Bains had already accepted his mistake and reiterated that on Wednesday. The singer, Bir Singh, had also met the clergy and sought forgiveness while Zafar has requested Akal Takht for more time stating that he is currently abroad.
