The Congress official in charge of Punjab, Harish Rawat, on Wednesday apologised for comparing state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and the four working presidents appointed with him to the “Panj Pyare”, The Tribune reported.

The “Panj Pyare” are the five men who were initiated into the Sikh brotherhood by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. The term means “the five beloved”.

The former chief minister had made the remarks on Tuesday after a meeting with Sidhu, the Congress’ state general secretary Pargat Singh and two other party leaders, according to the Hindustan Times.

On Wednesday, Rawat said he had been wrong to make such a comparison, adding that he had no intention of hurting Sikh sentiments.

In a post on Facebook, the former Uttarakhand chief minister said that as penance, he would sweep the floor of a gurudwara in his state.

“Sometimes, while expressing respect, one uses words that are objectionable,” he said. “I also made a mistake by using the words ‘Panj Pyare’ for the honourable president and four working presidents. I am a student of the country’s history, and the uppermost position of the ‘Panj Pyare’ cannot be compared with anyone else.”

But the Shiromani Akali Dal said that such comments could not be treated as a joke as they had hurt the sentiments of Sikhs.

“He should withdraw the statement immediately, and the entire Congress should apologise to the entire Sikh community,” Shiromani Akali Dal spokesperson Daljeet Singh Cheema said, according to ANI. “A case should be registered against them for hurting the sentiments.”

Tuesday’s meeting between Rawat and Punjab Congress leaders was held to resolve differences between Sidhu and Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

Last week, 23 party MLAs, including four ministers, had demanded Singh’s removal from the chief minister’s post. Rawat said that four ministers and three MLAs later met him, but dismissed speculation about infighting within the state unit of the party.

Addressing reporters on Tuesday, Rawat said that all the problems had been sorted out.