Sikh temporal authority declares Majithia `Tankhaiya" for religious misconduct

Amritsar (Punjab): One of the five seats of temporal authority in Sikhism, Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, in Maharashtra, has held Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia guilty of religious misconduct for distorting words of compositions of the Sikh Gurus, `Gurbani`, during an election rally.

The Takht Sri Hazur Sahib in Maharashtra`s Nanded District declared Majithia `Tankhaiya` (guilty of religious misconduct) for shown disrespect to the sacred compositions of the Sikh Gurus. Former Takht president Laddu Singh Mahajan said the diktat of declaring Majithia `Tankhaiya` has come because of protests by Sikhs. "A few days ago,Majithia had distorted some words of the Gurbani during a public meeting. Therefore, the temporal authority has declared him `Tankhaiya`," Mahajan said. In Amritsar,Sikhs expressed their anger against Majithia. A protester, Mogum Singh, said, "We are protesting against Bikram Singh Majithia who has insulted the compositions of the Sikh Gurus. We had sent a request to the Punjab Government to file a case against him, but this yet to be done even after three days." Workers of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also took to streets in Amritsar and burnt an effigy of Majithia. "The Aam Aadmi Party is protesting against Bikram Singh Majithia who has distorted the Gurbani while canvassing for BJP`s Amritsar candidate Arun Jaitley. We and the Sikh community condemn this act," said another protester, Princepal Singh. Majithia has reportedly submitted a letter of apology to the Sikh temporal authority, which is yet to take a decision on it.