Minister Harjot Bains completes religious punishment, pays obeisance at Golden Temple
Babushahi Bureau
Amritsar (Punjab), August 13, 2025 — Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has completed the religious punishment assigned to him by Sri Akal Takht with full devotion. Following the completion of the punishment, he visited the Harmandir Sahib on Wednesday, offered prayers, and sought forgiveness for his mistake.
On the occasion, Minister Bains offered a ‘kada prasad’ worth ₹1,100. He also donated one month of his full salary as daswandh (one-tenth of income) along with ₹20 lakh from his ministerial quota. The funds will be used for the maintenance of religious sites, including roadworks and other services.
After completing the punishment, Bains said that the order received from Sri Akal Takht on 6 August was akin to a fatherly command from the Guru, which he fulfilled with complete devotion.
He prayed for strength to serve the Panth, the nation, and Punjab, stating that he is always ready to serve society both as a minister and as a humble servant.
The case relates to a ceremony held in Srinagar on the martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. It was alleged that the event included dance and music for entertainment, featuring Punjabi singer Bir Singh, which hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community.
Taking cognizance of the matter, Sri Akal Takht on 6 August found Minister Bains guilty and assigned him religious punishment, which included:
- Cleaning the path from Harmandir Sahib to Guru’s Palace in Amritsar.
- Cleaning roads at Gurudwara Kotha Sahib and Baba Bakala Sahib.
- Serving at the ‘joda ghar’ (shoe-cleaning area) of Gurudwaras in Delhi and Shri Anandpur Sahib for two days.
Minister Bains had accepted the punishment immediately and completed his service at the Delhi Sheesh Ganj Gurudwara in the preceding days.