Sukhbir Badal Completes 10-Day Religious Punishment, Set to Appear Before Akal Takht

Muktsar : Former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, Sukhbir Singh Badal, completed his 10-day religious punishment on Thursday by performing ‘sewa’ (service) at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Muktsar town, marking the second consecutive day of his penance. The religious task was part of the penance prescribed by the five Sikh high priests after they imposed a ‘tankhah’ (punishment) on him and other Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders on December 2,

2024, at the Akal Takht in Amritsar.

Sukhbir, who was injured in a recent incident, had to perform the ‘sewa’ in a wheelchair due to a fractured foot. He was dressed in a blue robe, with a plaque of Gurbani verses around his neck, and a spear in his hand. At the entrance of the gurdwara, he served as a ‘sewadar’ (security guard), surrounded by security personnel and party workers.

On December 4, an assassination attempt was made on Sukhbir in the Golden Temple Complex in Amritsar, but he was unharmed. Despite the attack, he continued with his religious penance as prescribed by the Akal Takht.

During the 10-day period, Sukhbir, along with other prominent Akali leaders like Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Daljit Singh Cheema, Sucha Singh Langah, Heera Singh Gabria, and Gulzar Singh Ranike, performed sewa, including cleaning utensils in the ‘langar’ (community kitchen) hall. They also participated in a kirtan (Sikh devotional music) session for an hour.

Having completed his punishment, Sukhbir is now set to offer his ‘ardas’ (prayer) at the Akal Takht on Friday, as part of fulfilling his penance and spiritual reflection.