Sikh clergy asks Punjab minister to repair roads as 'sewadar'

Amritsar, Aug 6 (IANS) Five high priests, headed by Akal Takht officiating jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj, have pronounced religious punishment, also known as "tankhah", for Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains for "mistakes" and directed him to repair roads as a "sewadar".  

He was found guilty of allegedly hurting Sikh sentiments at an event in Srinagar to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur.

Pronouncing the order from the podium of the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs, here, Giani Gargaj, directed him to visit Gurdwara Guru Ke Mahal, the birthplace of Guru Tegh Bahadur here to inspect and ensure repairs and cleanliness on the approach roads and nearby streets.

Minister Bains was summoned and he appeared before the pronouncement of the sentence, gave an explanation regarding allegations of religious violations and also apologised. This is the first time that the Akal Takht gave infrastructure development as part of a religious sentence.

On earlier occasions, the religious sentence involved services at gurdwaras like cleaning utensils and shoes of devotees.

The minister was found "guilty" of organising "entertainment performances", involving dance and music, at a programme held in Srinagar on July 24 to mark the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur.

The Cabinet minister, who reached the Akal Takht barefoot, was directed to visit Gurdwara Kotha Sahib (Patshahi Nauvin) in Amritsar to oversee development works. Also, the minister will have to ensure necessary arrangements and road improvements at Gurdwara Baba Bakala Sahib in Baba Bakala, a holy town some 40 km from here.

As part of the atonement, Minister Bains was asked to do a two-day 'sewa' (voluntary service) comprising cleaning footwear and sweeping the premises of Anandpur Sahib gurdwara. He is also required to offer "deg" of Rs 1,100 and participate in "ardas" seeking forgiveness and offer prayers at the martyrdom site of Guru Tegh Bahadur at Gurdwara Sri Sis Ganj Sahib in Delhi.

Responding to punishments, Minister Bains said that as a devout Sikh and he humbly accepts the punishment from the Jathedars and would undertake the tasks to atone for his mistakes.

Earlier, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had taken strong objection to the "entertainment performances" involving singing and dancing at the event by the Punjab government's Language Department to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur.

--IANS

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