The Akal Takht on Monday delivered a historic verdict, revoking posthumously the coveted ‘Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum’ title bestowed on Punjab’s former Chief Minister and Akali veteran Parkash Singh Badal while mandating religious punishment for his son and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, along with the former Akali ministers. The decisive action followed allegations of grave misconduct and betrayal of Sikh principles, tarnishing the political and moral standing of the Badal family and their associates. 
 
Sukhbir, who was found guilty of religious transgressions during his tenure as Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and former Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Home Minister, was declared “tankhaiya” (guilty of religious misconduct) on August 30. The list of punishments include serving at key Sikh shrines and performing menial tasks.
 
Over the next eight days, Sukhbir is to serve at locations such as the Golden Temple, Keshgarh Sahib, and Fatehgarh Sahib, wearing a servant’s attire and carrying a spear at the entrance, symbolic of his penitence. At each site, he must also spend an hour cleaning utensils in the Guru Ram Dass Jee Langar Hall (a communal kitchen), listening to kirtan, and reciting the Sukhmani Sahib path. While his physical condition — a fractured leg — exempted him from cleaning toilets and washrooms, the five high priests (Panj Singh Sahibans) emphasized the gravity of the punishment as an opportunity for reflection. 
 
Senior Akali veteran Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa was also awarded a similar punishment owing to his old age and health concerns.
 
Former Akali ministers were not spared either. They have been directed to clean washrooms in the Golden Temple complex for an hour, followed by serving in the kitchen and performing religious recitations. Like Sukhbir, they are also required to wear plaques around their necks, publicly acknowledging their guilt and seeking forgiveness from the Sikh community.
 
The Akal Takht, Sikhs’ highest temporal seat, further directed the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to accept Sukhbir’s resignation as party president, and appoint a new president within three days. The clergy has called for a comprehensive overhaul of the party’s structure within six months to address the damage inflicted on Sikh sentiments under Sukhbir’s leadership. 
 
The pronouncement came after years of tension within the Sikh community and mounting dissatisfaction with the SAD leadership. A breakaway faction of the party first approached the Akal Takht in July 2024, submitting a letter of apology for the four “grave mistakes” made under Sukhbir’s leadership. After a prolonged review, the five Sikh high priests, led by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, convened meetings throughout the year to address these grievances. On August 30, Sukhbir was formally declared “tankhaiya” and directed to provide a written explanation for his actions.
 
The decision to strip senior Badal of the prestigious ‘Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum’ title marked a significant reassessment of his legacy. The honour, granted in 2011 to recognize his contributions to the Sikh community, has now been rescinded due to actions seen as antithetical to its purpose. Among these actions was the Akali Dal-led Punjab Government’s 2015 decision to orchestrate a controversial pardon for Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
 
Ram Rahim, a self-styled godman infamous for mimicking Guru Gobind Singh, had been excommunicated by the Sikh clergy for his offensive acts. The pardon, widely viewed as a betrayal of Sikh values, sparked unprecedented outrage among the community, leading to mass protests and violent confrontations. It was alleged that the Akali Dal’s close ties to the Dera played a role in securing the pardon to curry favour with the sect’s large vote bank. 
 
Adding to the controversy, the Akali Dal’s tenure from 2007 to 2017 was marred by accusations of mishandling sacrilege incidents. The theft of the Guru Granth Sahib in Faridkot and subsequent acts of desecration shook the community’s faith in the government’s ability to protect its religious sanctity. Police firings on protesters in Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura, which left two Sikhs dead, further fueled anger against the Akali leadership. 
 
Critics accused the Akali Government of failing to conduct impartial investigations or bring the culprits to justice, with fingers pointed at the then-Home Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. IN addition, SAD’s decision to shield police officers implicated in fake encounters and extrajudicial killings during the 1980s and 1990s has also drawn ire. Top cops such as Sumedh Singh Saini and Izhar Alam, who faced serious allegations, were rewarded with high-ranking positions in the state police force, deepening resentment among the Sikh community. 
 
The Akal Takht’s actions underline its role as a moral authority for the Sikh community, holding even the most powerful individuals accountable for their actions. Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, while announcing the verdict from the podium of Akal Takht, stated that the clergy would not tolerate any compromise on Sikh values. He emphasized that the punishments imposed were not just symbolic but aimed at restoring faith in Sikh institutions and principles. 
 
The clergy also directed senior Akali leaders to engage in introspection during their acts of penance. By participating in menial services such as cleaning and cooking, the guilty parties are expected to reconnect with the core tenets of humility and service that lie at the heart of Sikhism. 
 
Political Fallout 

The decision has sent shockwaves through Punjab’s political landscape, with the Akali Dal already grappling with dwindling popularity. Once a dominant force in Punjab politics, the party’s support has eroded following breaking of ties with its decades-old alliance partners, BJP, over the contentious farm laws in 2020.
 
Sukhbir Badal’s leadership faced increasing criticism over the years. Voices of dissent within the party grew louder after the sacrilege incidents of 2015 and the party’s poor performance in the 2017 and 2022 Punjab Assembly elections with the emergence of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state’s political scene.
 
Following the party’s repeated defeats in two back-to-back assembly polls, especially after ruling the state for a decade, a party committee was constituted under senior leader Iqbal Singh Jhunda which suggested change of leadership to improve Akali Dal’s standing in Punjab.
 
With SAD’s another embarrassing defeat in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, a splinter group — Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar — was formed under former MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala with senior leaders like former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, former Minister Bibi Jagir Kaur, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, and others, further pressuring Sukhbir Badal to step down.
 
On November 16, Sukhbir finally stepped down as SAD chief — marking the end of his 15-year tenure on the party’s top post — a day after appointing a loyalist and former MP Balwinder Singh Bhundur as working president.
 
The Akal Takht’s ruling has now further compounded the crisis, potentially alienating the Akali Dal from its core Sikh vote bank. 
 
For the Sikh community, the Akal Takht’s decision is a moment of reckoning. Many see it as a long-overdue step toward justice for the betrayal of Sikh principles during the Akali regime. The clergy’s assertiveness in holding powerful leaders accountable has been widely welcomed, with community leaders and organizations expressing support for the verdict. 
 
However, questions remain about whether these actions will lead to substantive change. Critics argued that the penalties, while symbolically significant, may not address the systemic issues within the Akali Dal or the broader political system that enabled these transgressions. 
 
Akal Takht’s Key Decisions
•         Revocation of ‘Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum’ title awarded to five-time CM Parkash Singh Badal in 2011
•    Declared tankhaiya on August 30, Sukhbir ordered to perform penance, including menial services at prominent Sikh shrines, standing guard at Gurdwaras’ entrance wearing guard’s uniform and a plaques acknowledging guilt
•         Former Akali Ministers directed to clean washrooms, serve in gurdwara kitchens wearing plaques of guilt around their neck
•         SAD instructed to remove Sukhbir Badal as president and appoint a new leader within 3 days
•         SAD given 6 months to restructure and address grievances of the Sikh community