39 Sikh politicians given religious punishment by Akal Takht
Akal Takht (Sikh religious authority) on Monday awarded religious punishment to 39 Sikh politicians from the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Aam Aadmi Party for seeking votes from Dera Sacha Sauda during the recent Assembly polls. The leaders violated the 2007 directive of the Takht, excommunicating the Dera head, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, for impersonating Guru Gobind Singh.
Amritsar, Apr 17 (PTI) The Akal Takht today announced tankha (religious punishment) on as many as 39 politicians, including those from SAD, Congress and AAP, for visiting Dera Sacha Sauda prior to Punjab Assembly polls ignoring its call for boycott of the sect. Akal Takht head Gurbachan Singh issued an edict to 39 representatives of various political parties holding them tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) asking them to perform sewa (service) in the Sikh shrines. On April 4, The top temporal seat of Sikhs had asked the representatives of political parties to appear before it with regard to their visit to Dera Sacha Sauda at Sirsa prior to the assembly election in Punjab to seek votes. All Sikh activists were asked to submit their clarification about the motive behind their visit to Dera Sacha Sauda sect inspite of the facts Akal Takht had announced boycott of Sect. Singh said during the election campaign the members of political outfits had gone to the headquarter of Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh headed sect "to seek support and blessings" which was "against the Sikh ethics and customs". He said the head of the sect was held guilty by Akal Takht for various blasphemous acts which had hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community by and large across the globe. Members (particularly Sikhs) of various political parties including Congress, SAD and AAP who were asked to appear before the Akal Takht, since being a Sikh no one could visit sect headquarter especially when the community was asked by it to boycott the tainted sect, Singh said. Members of SAD who were awarded tankha from Akal Takht included Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu, Sikander Singh Maluka, Dilraj Singh Bhunder, Parkash Singh Bhatti, Kawaljit Singh Roji Barkandi, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Nishan Singh Budlada, Mantar Singh Brar, Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal, Ranjit Singh Talwandi, Gobind Singh Longowal, Surinderpal Singh, Guljar Singh, Hardip Singh, Darsh Singh Kot Fatha and Jagdip Singh Nakoi. From Congress Amrinder Singh Raja, Kewal Singh Dhillon, Randip Singh Nabha, Darshan Singh Brar, Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon, Sadu Singh Dharmsot, Karan Kaur Brar, Kushbaj Singh Jatana, Rajinder Singh Samana and Daman Kaur Bajwa, while AAPs Narinder Singh was also among those punished. 