CHANDIGARH, Punjab—Sikh political party Shiromani Akali Dal SAD Amritsar (A)on Friday, stated that Giani Gurbachan Singh, appointed Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib has played a cruel joke on the Sikh nation by awarding controversial SAD Badal (B) leader Bikramjit Majithia a mild “Tankhah” (religious punishment).
Majithia distorted the sacred Shabad (hymn) of Guru Gobind Singh, and committed blasphemy by putting the name of Hindutavi politician Arun Jaitley in it. For this offense, Giani Gurbachan Singh has directed Majithia to perform service in the Langar both financially and physically, at all five Takhts of the Sikhs, to hold Sri Akhand Paath Sahib (a complete uninterrupted reading of Guru Granth Sahib) at Sri Akal Takht Sahib, to clean utensils in the Langar Hall, and to listen to Gurbani (scripture). In addition, Majithia has been ordered to give a donation of ₹501 and provide sacramental Karah Prashad worth ₹101 to the Sikh congregation.
Taking notice of Jathedar’s decision, Randev Singh Debi, president of the youth wing of the SAD (Amritsar), reminded the Jathedar that Guru Har Rai had ex-communicated his own son for distorting hymns.
“If the same blunder was committed by a leader of any other party, he would have been definitely ex-communicated,” he said, adding, “There is a feeling among the Sikhs that the Sri Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar had become a puppet in the hands of the Badal government.”
He criticized SAD supremo Parkash Badal for trying to shield Majithia, and asked the Sikhs to boycott Majithia as well as Badal.
