Akali leader Sukhdev Dhindsa visits Akal Takht after completing ‘tankhah’

The “dissident” veteran Akali leader, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, after completion of ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) pronounced upon him by the five Sikh high priests, paid obeisance at the Akal Takht.

Accompanied by his son Parminder Singh Dhindsa and other supporters, Dhindsa performed ‘ardas’ for penance and offered ‘bheta’ as directed by the Akal Takht. With this, the plaque of “admittance of guilt” that was hung around his neck during the ‘tankhah’ span was removed.

Dhindsa was among the former Akali leaders, including Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, who were awarded ‘tankhah’ from the ‘faseel’ (podium) of the Akal Takht by Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on December 2.

Presently in the rebel camp, Dhindsa was awarded 10-day ‘tankhah’. Unlike the other “guilty” Akali leaders, owing to his old age, he was exempted from cleaning toilets at various Sikh shrines and Sukhbir, too, was relieved of the ‘sewa’ as he had got his foot fractured.

Along with Sukhbir, Dhindsa sat on wheelchair for two hours at the Golden Temple’s entrance passage wearing a blue robe, holding a spear in his hand and served as ‘sewadar’, consecutively for two days on December 3 and 4.

He performed the identical ‘sewa’ for two days each at other significant religious, including Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib, Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Bathinda, Darbar Sahib, Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib and Sri Muktsar Sahib. His ‘sewa’ span lingered on as he took rest in between.

Pardoning Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief in 2015 was the root cause of SAD’s turmoil. In the year 2007, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief was accused of attiring himself as the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, during a religious congregation of the sect at its headquarters in Sirsa, Haryana.