India, Aug. 6 -- Harjot Singh Bains, the education minister of Punjab, was awarded 'tankhah' (religious punishment or penance) by the temporal Sikh institution, the Akal Takht, in Amritsar on Wednesday, over the violation of 'maryada' (religious code) at a function to commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur last month.

He will clean shoes and perform other acts of 'seva' (community service) as part of the sentence granted by the five Sikh high priests led by the Akal Takht jathedar.

He had already accepted his mistake when the Takht summoned him some days ago, and reiterated that on Wednesday.

The Takht also said that while governments should organise seminars, symposiums and lectures on the life and teachings of the gurus, Sikh...