Ex-Jathedar Gurbachan pronounced ‘tankhaiya’

Akal Takht on Monday declared former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh a ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) for exonerating Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on September 24, 2015, of the charges of hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community.

The ‘tankhah’ was pronounced by acting Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj following a meeting of the five Sikh high priests here.

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Guru Nanak Dev University VC Karamjit Singh, senior Akali Dal leader Virsa Singh Valtoha, Punjab Language Department Director Jaswant Singh and Sikh preacher Harinder Singh

Barely three weeks after Ram Rahim was exonerated, Akal Takht had on October 16, 2015, withdrawn the controversial “hukamnama” (edict) granting the pardon. Though Giani Gurbachan had tendered an apology long ago, a former Akal Takht Jathedar had made it mandatory for him to seek an apology in front of the highest temporal seats of the Sikhs.

In 2007, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief was accused by the Sikh clergy of attiring himself as Guru Gobind Singh during a congregation at the outfit’s headquarters in Sirsa. This led to violent clashes between dera followers and Sikhs in parts of Punjab.

Akal Takht today also pronounced ‘tankhah’ to Guru Nanak Dev University Vice-Chancellor Karamjit Singh, senior Akali Dal leader Virsa Singh Valtoha, Punjab Language Department Director Jaswant Singh and Sikh preacher Harinder Singh.

Karamjit Singh had courted a controversy by proposing to set up a chair to study the “commonness” of Guru Nanak Dev's philosophy and “Vedanta”. A purported video of the Vice-Chancellor allegedly linking Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev’s philosophy with the Vedanta in the presence of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had surfaced online a months ago. Immediately after the video went viral, the SGPC on August 1 removed the Vice-Chancellor from the panel constituted to frame rules on appointment and removal of the Akal Takht Jathedar.

Valtoha was declared ‘tankhaiya’ over alleged derogatory remarks against jathedars in October 2024. He also apologised for recording an audio without permission, following which the 10-year ban imposed on him by the Akali Dal last year was withdrawn. Jathedar Gargaj ordered him to perform limited days of service at the Golden Temple, Darbar Sahib in Tarn Taran and Takht Damdama Sahib.

Jaswant Singh accepted that a jig during a religious programme held to mark the 350th anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur in Srinagar was inappropriate, and that he failed to stop it. He said the “Punjab Government had planned the programme well, but its execution was faulty”.

Sikh preacher Harinder was punished for speaking a disrespectful word against a Sikh Guru during his programme. The high priests instructed all those declared ‘tankhaiya’ to carry out sewa by washing utensils at the Golden Temple langar hall, tend to shoes at Joda Ghar, and recite different ‘banis’ at various historic gurdwaras and Sikh Takhts.