Sukhbir Badal writes to Akal Takht jathedar, seeks 'unconditional forgiveness' for 'all mistakes'

Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal has sought "unconditional forgiveness" for "all mistakes" committed when the party was in power in a written explanation to Akal Takht jathedar.

Rebel Shiromani Akali Dal leaders, including former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and ex-Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, appeared before the jathedar on July 1 and sought forgiveness for "four mistakes" committed during the party's rule between 2007 and 2017.

The Akal Takht Secretariat in Amritsar on Monday released a copy of the three-page letter that Badal submitted to Giani Raghbir Singh, the Akal Takht jathedar on the rebel leaders' accusations, on July 24.

An Akal Takht Secretariat official said five Singh Sahibans (Sikh high priests) would call a meeting in the coming days to take a call on Badal's letter.

Badal submitted his explanation after the jathedar asked him to appear in person before the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, following allegations levelled by the rebel leaders.

A section of party leaders revolted against Badal, asking him to step down as party chief following the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha polls in Punjab.

Appearing before the jathedar, the rebel leaders sought forgiveness for "four mistakes" during the Shiromani Akali Dal regime between 2007 and 2017, including failure to punish those responsible for 2015 sacrilege incidents and pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case.

They had also held Badal, who was deputy chief minister at that time, responsible for the "mistakes".

In his letter, Badal said he was a humble servant of the Guru and always dedicated to the Guru Granth Sahib and the Akal Takht.

"Whatever has been written against us, I present myself before the great throne of the Guru, seeking unconditional forgiveness from 'Guru Sahib' and 'Guru Panth'," he said.

As head of the family, he said he took all the "mistakes" upon himself.

"Whether these mistakes are from the party or the government, I am seeking forgiveness for all these mistakes, which took place knowingly or unknowingly," Badal said.

He and his companions will accept with humility every order issued by the Akal Takht, according to 'Gurmat' traditions, he added.

Badal also attached a copy of an October 2015 letter written by his father and the-then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to the Akal Takht regarding "some tragic incidents" that took place in Punjab from 2007 to 2015.

Incidents related to the theft of a 'bir (copy)' of the Guru Ganth Sahib, putting up of handwritten sacrilegious posters and torn pages of the holy book found scattered at Bargari had taken place in Faridkot in 2015 when the Shiromani Akali Dal was in power.

During the anti-sacrilege protests in Faridkot, two persons were killed and several injured in police firing.

The rebel leaders, referring to the 2015 sacrilege incidents, said the then government could not ensure punishment to the guilty.

They also mentioned the 2007 blasphemy case registered against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for allegedly imitating the 10th Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh.

Badal allegedly used his influence to ensure that the Dera chief was pardoned in the blasphemy case, they said.

The rebel leaders also alleged that the SGPC spent nearly Rs 90 lakh on newspaper advertisements to justify the decision to pardon the Dera chief.

In 2015, the Akal Takht pardoned the Dera chief based on a written apology. However, bowing to pressure from the Sikh community and hardliners, it annulled its decision.

The rebel leaders had also blamed the then Shiromani Akali Dal government for appointing Sumedh Singh Saini as director general of police during its tenure.