Akal Takht pronounces atonement upon Akali minister

AMRITSAR: Sikh high priests on Sunday pronounced atonement upon minister for rural development and Panchayat Sikandar Singh Maluka while holding him guilty of religious misconduct.
Maulka appeared before five Sikh high priests at Akal Takht secretariat where he apologised for the blasphemy charges following which Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Gurbachan Singh pronounced religious atonement upon Maluka and announced the same from the rostrum of Akal Takht.
Maluka was embroiled in a religious misconduct controversy following imitation of Sikh ardas at the conclusion of Ramayana path during inauguration of his election office at Rampura Phul. After much hue and cry by various Sikh bodies, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee constituted a three-member committee to probe the incident . The committee had submitted its report at Akal Takht on January 1.
‘We have pronounced Sikander Singh Maluka guilty for religious misconduct on the basis of three-member report of sub-committee, which was constituted by SGPC upon receiving its report at Akal Takht secretariat," said Grurbachan Singh while talking to TOI on Sunday.
He said being an Akali minister, Maluka had severely hurt Sikh religious feelings by allowing to get Sikh ardas tampered in his presence at his election office.

The Sikh high priests have directed Maluka to hold Akhand Path in Golden Temple complex, perform sewa of shoe and utensils cleaning each for one hour for three days besides listening to Gurbani for one hour and donating Rs 51000 at Akal Takht. He had also been directed to perform sewa of Langar for one day at Takht Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo and wash utensils and donate Rs 31000. After completion of religious punishment, Akal Takht has directed the cabinet minister to offer a ‘degh’ of Rs 500 and offer prayes for forgiveness at Akal Takht.
Notably Sarbat Khalsa appointed Sikh high priests had also summoned Maluka to appear before them at Akal Takht on January 9th.
In another case, Sikh high priests have constituted a five-member committee comprising Dr. Roop Singh, secretary SGPC, Harbhajan Singh Manawan, additional secretary, Dharam Parchar Committee of SGPC, Inderjit Singh Gagoani, Partap Singh and Harsimran Singh to investigate the content of books written by historian Harjinder Singh Dilgeer. Gurbachan Singh said that Akal Takht secretariat has received reports that books of Dilgeer had some objectionable content about Sikh history. He said the committee had been directed to submit its report by February 7.