Takht awards ‘tankhah’ to Langah’s associates

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 4

Taking cognisance of the “pardon” granted to former SAD minister Sucha Singh Langah, the Akal Takht today pronounced former member of SGPC’s Dharam Parchar Committee, Rattan Singh Jaffarwal, and its Kadian member, Gurinderpal Singh Gora, as ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct).

They were charged with violating the Akal Takht’s ‘hukumnama’ against Langah by having association with him and facilitating his ‘pardon’ from ‘panj pyaras’ of Nihang organiation Tarna Dal at Gurdwara Garhi Baba Banda Singh Bahadur in Dhariwal, Gurdaspur, on Monday.

Giani Harpreet Singh, who awarded the ‘tankhah’ from the Akal Takht’s podium, said the two would be instantly removed from all positions and panels of the apex body.

Langah was excommunicated on October 5, 2017, by the Akal Takht after his objectionable video had gone viral.

On Monday, Langah had formally submitted an apology before the ‘panj pyaras’ of the Tarna Dal, upon which he was given religious punishment of sweeping the gurdwara floor, washing dishes and cleaning shoes daily for one hour for the next 21 days.

After accepting it, Langah took part in ‘amrit sanchar’ (ceremony of baptism), reportedly to be accepted back to the community.

Acting swiftly on Akal Takht’s order, the SGPC has expelled Gurinderpal Singh Gora from all sub-committees. SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal said “We will form a sub-committee to find out if other member or officials were associated with Langah”.