On 3 December, former Shiromani Akali Dal chief ex-Deputy CM of Punjab, Sukhbir Badal, was seen standing as a sewadar on guard duty at Sri Harmandir Sahib with a placard around his neck saying "Forgive us sinners/criminals". This was a day after the Akal Takht, the highest temporal body for Sikhs, announced the punishment for Badal and other senior Akali leaders in connection with the 2015 sacrilege incidents.
The leaders have all been told to perform Sewa as penance - tasks like cleaning shoes, washing utensils, cleaning toilets and doing guard duties, besides listening to the Kirtans for a fixed time duration.
Besides Badal, the punished leaders include senior Akalis like Daljit Singh Cheema, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Bikram Singh Majithia, Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Prem Singh Chandumajra among others. The Panth Ratan Fakhr-e-Qaum title give to Late Parkash Singh Badal has also been withdrawn as have the benefits being given to former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh.
Badal is accused of compromising the sanctity of the Akal Takht by getting it to issue a pardon for Dera Sacha Sauda leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a sacrilege case. He is also charged with promoting police officers allegedly behind the killing of protesters demanding justice in the sacrilege cases in 2015. To know more about the case, its aftermath and centrality in Punjab politics, read this story.