Bains admitted his fault and accepted responsibility for not intervening.
Harjot Bains Religious Punishment From Akal Takht Sahib Over Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji Event: Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Tuesday appeared before Sri Akal Takht Sahib to offer his clarification and apology regarding the recent controversy linked to an event organized in memory of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji in Srinagar.
The event, hosted by the Punjab Government, became a subject of criticism after videos surfaced showing participants performing Bhangra to songs by Bir Singh—an act many considered disrespectful given the religious significance of the occasion. Sikh organizations and devotees had raised concerns over the lack of reverence and cultural sensitivity displayed during the event.
Bains admitted his fault and accepted responsibility for not intervening. “Yes, I was present when the Bhangra was performed. I did not stop it, and for that, I sincerely apologize to the entire Sikh Sangat,” he told the five Singh Sahibans during his appearance at the Akal Takht.
Following deliberations, the religious leadership imposed Tankhah (religious penalty) on Bains and issued a set of directives to ensure that such mistakes are not repeated in future government-led religious programs. The Akal Takht has also directed that in any upcoming events related to Sikh Gurus, the Punjab Government must seek guidance from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and uphold full religious decorum.
As part of his atonement, Harjot Bains has been instructed to:
Walk to the residence of the ninth Guru and oversee the repair of roads leading to the site.
Travel on foot for 100 meters from Gurdwara Kotha Sahib and ensure the roads in that area are properly constructed.
Visit Gurdwara Sisganj Sahib in Delhi.
Contribute ₹1,100 for preparing Deg (holy food offering) at the couple’s house in Anandpur Sahib.
In addition, Ranjit Singh from Jammu, Gopal Singh, and Som Nath Singh, who were also involved in the event, have been given similar religious tasks. Ranjit Singh, in particular, must:
Perform Seva (voluntary service) of sweeping at a Gurdwara Sahib for 11 consecutive days,
Recite Nitnem daily during this period,
Offer ₹1,100 each to the Deg and to the Guru’s Golak.
The Akal Takht Sahib emphasized that while governments can play a supportive role in promoting Sikh history and teachings, they must do so with utmost care and respect. Moving forward, all such initiatives are to be executed with the involvement and oversight of religious authorities like the SGPC or Sri Anandpur Sahib institutions to preserve sanctity.
This episode serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining religious dignity in public programs, especially those connected to Sikh heritage.
