Amritsar: As per the media reports available the 40 identified political learders of Punjab who were involved in garnering electoral benefits from the controversial Dera Sauda Sirsa, thus violating the hukamnama against the latter during the state assembly election in February, here on Monday has been pronounced ‘tankhah’ by the SGPC appointed Jathedars.
Among the political leaders who failed to show up for today were Rajinder Kaur Bhattal (Congress), Janmeja Singh Sekhon (SAD), Ajaib Singh Bhatti (Congress) and Arjan Singh Badal (Congress), respectively.
The SGPC was asked to probe the matter and gather requisite proofs. On the basis of report submitted by the SGPC panel, the under-question leaders were classified into two categories — Sikhs and Patits (those who believe in Guru Granth Sahib but seldom observe the principle of Khalsa code of conduct), reads a quote in an English vernacular.
Media sources indicates that those 18 ‘Patit’ leaders were asked to perform sewa for 10 days (1 hour every day) at the gurdwaras located in the vicinity of their constituencies as atonement, the 21 ‘Sikh’ leaders were made to stand at the designated podium on the ground floor of Akal Takht Sahib and were awarded ‘tankhah’.
Political leaders at Sri Akal Takht Sahib in Amritsar on Monday, while being awarded tankhah.
They are further stated to sweep the passage leading to the Golden Temple from Gurdwara Saragarhi heading towards the Darshani Deodi and the Ghanta Ghar side main entrance to the Shrine for a day. On another day, they would clean up the whole parikrama of the Darbar Sahib.
Besides this, they would also perform ‘sewa’ at the Langar Hall and ‘joda’ (cleaning shoes of devotees) for two hours each.
Subsequently, they are further said to offer Rs 5,100 to the ‘golak’ and Rs 501 ‘karah parshad’ while at the time of ‘ardas’ to be performed at the Sri Akal Takht Sahib for atonement.
Controversy arose after some candidates from the Malwa region had attended a meeting of Sirsa-based Dera Sauda’s Sirsa’s political wing in Bathinda. It was reported that the leaders assured to facilitate ‘naam charcha’ of the dera head in Punjab, if voted to power again.
Categorically, the Dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim had announced to extend support to the SAD (Badal)-BJP combine for the Assembly polls.
It was in May 2007 that the then Jathedars Joginder Singh Vedanti, Iqbal Singh, Tarlochan Singh, Balwant Singh Nandgarh and Darbar Sahib’s priest Jagtar Singh — had issued ‘hukumnama’ for the Sikhs to boycott the Sirsa dera head socially, religiously and politically for his indulgence in blasphemous act of impersonating Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
Notably, Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Bhai Gurmukh Singh was not present at the meeting, due to which additional head granthi (priest) of Darbar Sahib Jagtar Singh was called in from Ludhiana to take his place.