CHANDIGARH: Punjab rural development and panchayats minister Sikander Singh Maluka was on Sunday declared guilty of religious misconduct by the high priests of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal body of the Sikhs, for distortion of an ‘ardas’ (prayer) at a function held to inaugurate his election office in Bathinda district. To atone, he will have to clean shoes, among other chores, at the Golden Temple for three days.
After a meeting of the five high priests (jathedars) of the Akal Takht to take a final decision on the controversy, Jathedar Gurbachan Singh said, “The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has found Maluka guilty of misconduct. He has not contradicted the decision of SGPC and has tendered an apology and clarification in the matter.’’
The minister will have to perform sewa at the langar hall and Jora Ghar for one hour each, make a donation of Rs 51,000 to the golak, arrange Akhand Path and listen to Gurbani at the Golden Temple. In addition, he has to wash utensils at the Talwandi Sabo and Damdama Sahib gurdwaras for one day each, arrange a langar (community kitchen) and donate Rs 31,000 each there.
The high priests also found SGPC member Major Singh and others who organized the function at Maluka’s election office guilty of the same offence. They will have to perform sewa separately.
A controversy blew up after Maluka’s organizers allowed a Hindu organization to perform ardas at the election office. A local resident, Phul Hardeep Singh filed a police complaint against Maluka for hurting the religious sentiments of the Sikhs.
A five-minute video clip of the ardas went viral on social media and has been attracting adverse remarks from members of the Sikh community. In his complaint, Phul Hardeep Singh said though the prayer was recited as per the tenets of Hinduism, it was similar to the way 'ardas' is performed in Sikhism. In Sikh religious practices, the slogan ‘Bole so nihal’ is uttered. At Maluka’s function the ardas performers raised a slogan of Jai Shri Ram in the manner of Sikhs.