Sukhbir Badal declared 'Tankhaiyaa' by Takht Patna Sahib for religious misconduct

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal has been declared Tankhaiyaa (guilty of religious misconduct) by Takht Sri Patna Sahib, one of the five Sikh temporal seats, for failing to respond to repeated summons and allegedly interfering in religious matters.

The Takht had summoned Badal twice to seek clarification on an unspecified issue related to religious affairs. However, the Shiromani Akali Dal president did not appear on either occasion.

Following his failure to attend, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami intervened, requesting a 20-day extension for Badal to present himself. Even after the extended period, Badal did not comply with the summons.

Taking serious note of this continued defiance, Takht Patna Sahib declared Sukhbir Badal a Tankhaiyaa.

This is not the first time Badal has faced such religious censure. On August 30, 2024, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh and four other high priests declared him Tankhaiyaa for his alleged involvement in the controversial pardon granted to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim. That decision triggered widespread backlash within the Sikh community.

In that instance, Badal was sentenced to perform sewa (voluntary service) by cleaning washrooms and kitchens at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, as punishment of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of Sikhism.

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