Chandigarh:
The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, has declared AAP MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura 'Tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) for allegedly making false allegations and using derogatory language against Sikh institutions and respected Sikh personalities.
In Sikhism, being declared 'Tankhaiya' refers to an individual being found guilty of breaching the religious code. The accused must seek forgiveness before the community, or the Sangat, in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. This is followed by a punishment, which typically includes acts of service, such as cleaning Gurdwaras and washing utensils.
READ | Analysis: Why Panthic Politics Is At A Crossroads In Punjab
The controversy erupted on Monday, when Giaspura, the MLA from Payal in Ludhiana district, alleged caste-based discrimination outside the Akal Takht secretariat in the Sri Darbar Sahib complex.
On Thursday, troubles deepened for Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who has had run-ins with the Takht himself, when several AAP MLAs appeared at the institution's secretariat to apologise over Giaspura's allegations.
According to a statement issued by the Takht secretariat, the legislators admitted their mistake, sought forgiveness from the Guru Sahib and distanced themselves from Giaspura's remarks, describing them as his personal views.
Wider Political Confrontation
In June, the Takht had declared Mann 'Guru Dokhi' (anti-Guru) and asked the 'Panth', or the Sikh community, to have nothing to do with him.
Mann had been summoned by the Takht and appeared before it in January over his alleged objectionable remarks about Sikh devotees. The Takht had also questioned the AAP leader about a video in which a person resembling him was seen sprinkling alcohol on images of Sikh gurus. The chief minister had denied the accusation and said the video was AI-generated.
READ | BJP MP Apologises At Akal Takht For Attending Sajjan Kumar Condolence Event
The Takht said it had not received proof of this from Mann and that forensic tests had revealed that the videos were genuine.
Implications
The development comes as the AAP government faces mounting criticism over Punjab's drug menace and law-and-order issues, particularly after the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa.
The MLAs' apology also offers the Shiromani Akali Dal and Waris Punjab De an opportunity to sharpen their Panthic positioning and question the AAP's handling of Sikh religious institutions ahead of Assembly elections in the state, which are expected to be held in a few months.