The Punjab Revenue Minister was seen polishing shoes and washing utensils on Tuesday.
Virtually sentenced to community punishment for distorting the Gurbani couplets, Bikram Singh Majithia was seen performing sewa (voluntary service) at Takht Keshgarh Sahib in Sri Anandpur Sahib.
Majithia during an election campaign in favour SAD-BJP combine candidate from Amritsar lok Sabha seat Arun Jaitley distorted the shabad (hymn) of Guru Gobind Singh by incorporating Jaitley’s name in it — which Majithia described as “inadvertent”.
Reacting strictly in anger, the Sikh bodies declared Majithia a tanakhiya (guilty of religious misconduct), and urged Jathedar Akal Takht, the highest Sikh temporal seat out of the five, to hand over severe punishment to Majithia so that nobody could dare to repeat such a thing in future.
Appearing before the Jathedars, Majithia tendered the apology which was accepted and the Sikh clergy asked him to undergo the religious atonement for the purification, and his “blasphemous act”.
Akal Takht Jathedar Gaini Gurbachan Singh, on May 1, pronounced the decision to award religious punishment to Majithia after a meeting of Sikh clergy under his leadership, directing him to undergo sewa at all five Takhts, including Akal Takht, Amritsar.
The Sikh clergy while pronouncing religious punishment had directed Majithia to perform religious service in the community kitchens of five Takhts at Amritsar, Patna Sahib, Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib, Takht Sachkhand Sahib at Abchal Nagar in Nanded and Takht Dam-Dama Sahib at Talwandi Sabo in Punjab.
Undergoing tankha (religious punishment), Majithia on Tuesday dusted shoes, washed utensils and listened to gurbani kirtan at Takhat Keshgarh Sahib.
The Press release issued by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has maintained that Majithia performed sewa “as a humble Sikh”. It added, “Following the distortion, Majithia who said he was devoted to the Sikh
philosophy from the core of his heart as a devout Sikhs, immediately expressed regret over the issue.”
The release quoted Majithia that he would be following the diktats of Takht whom he considered the supreme and thus was performing the sewa. Majithia, who belongs to a devout Majithia clan and who had been serving the Sikhs throughout, would similarly undertake the sewa at four other Takhts including the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs Akal Takht.
PUNISHMENT
As per the punishment, Majithia has to perform sewa at all Takhts while cleaning utensil of devotees for at least one-hour for three days. During these days, he also has to listen religious hymns (gurbani). He was also asked to deposit Rs501 in the Gurdwara treasury. He has been asked to conclude his sewa at Amritsar’s Akal Takht where he has to organise an akhand path.