SAD Rebels Address Past Misconduct with Clarifications at Akal Takht

Former ministers Bibi Jagir Kaur and Parminder Singh Dhindsa, along with ex-minister Sohan Singh Thandal, presented their written clarifications to the Akal Takht on Monday. This action was in response to directives from the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs. Kaur and Dhindsa were among the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders who rebelled against party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Rebel Leaders' Clarifications

Their clarifications followed the Akal Takht's recent declaration of Badal as tankhaiya, which means guilty of religious misconduct. This decision was made due to mistakes committed by his party and government between 2007 and 2017. On August 30, the Akal Takht had officially declared Badal tankhaiya. The Jathedar of Akal Takht had instructed Badal to appear before the supreme temporal seat within 15 days to seek forgiveness for decisions that harmed the Sikh community's image and interests.

Before appearing at the Akal Takht, both Dhindsa and Kaur resigned from the Shiromani Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar, a group formed by rebel Akali leaders. Dhindsa stated, "We are committed to the Akal Takht. As per directions, I submitted a clarification." Kaur, who served as president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in 1999, 2004, and 2020, also held the position of tourism and cultural affairs minister for a brief period in 2012.

Background of Misconduct Allegations

Kaur clarified that she was sworn in as minister on March 14, 2012, and resigned on March 30, 2012. She mentioned that during her tenure as a member of the SAD core committee, no such issues were discussed. She emphasized that she was not part of any discussions or decisions related to the current matters before the Akal Takht.

Rebel SAD leaders, including former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and Jagir Kaur, had previously appeared before the jathedar on July 1. They sought forgiveness for four mistakes committed during their party's government between 2007 and 2017. These leaders referred to incidents in 2015 when sacrilege incidents occurred under SAD's rule.

Sacrilege Incidents and Blasphemy Case

In Faridkot in 2015, incidents involving the theft of a bir copy of Guru Granth Sahib, handwritten sacrilegious posters, and torn pages of the holy book scattered at Bargari took place. During anti-sacrilege protests in Faridkot, two people were killed and several injured due to police firing. The rebel leaders acknowledged that their government failed to ensure punishment for those guilty of these acts.

Additionally, they mentioned a blasphemy case from 2007 against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for allegedly imitating the 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. Badal allegedly used his influence to ensure that the Dera chief was pardoned in this case. In 2015, the Akal Takht initially pardoned the Dera chief based on a written apology but later annulled this decision due to pressure from the Sikh community and hardliners.

The members of the Sikh community who served as ministers in the Akali government from 2007-17 were also directed to appear at the Akal Takht in person within 15 days to submit their written explanations. This directive aimed to address their roles during incidents that affected Sikh interests.

The clarifications provided by Kaur and Dhindsa mark a significant step in addressing past grievances within the Sikh community. Their compliance with the Akal Takht's directives reflects their commitment to resolving these issues through proper channels.