Chandigarh, 12 April (H.S.): The Punjab government is set to introduce a new law against the sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib during a one-day special session of the Punjab Legislative Assembly on Monday, coinciding with the festival of Baisakhi. The move has once again brought the sensitive issue of beadbi (sacrilege) incidents in the state into focus.

The proposed legislation, titled Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Bill 2026, aims to ensure strict punishment for those found guilty of desecrating the holy scripture. The draft bill was approved during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday.

According to officials, the bill proposes stringent penalties, including a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment, extendable to life imprisonment, along with fines ranging from 5 lakh to 25 lakh. It also mandates that investigations into such cases will be handled by officers not below the rank of DSP, ensuring greater transparency and accountability.

However, the proposed law has drawn objections from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami raised concerns over the lack of clarity regarding the nature of the bill. He questioned whether the government is introducing a completely new law or amending the existing 2008 Act, noting similarities in the naming.

Dhami also alleged that state ministers themselves appear unclear about the bill’s provisions, leading to confusion among the Sikh community.

He further accused the government of sidelining the SGPC and ignoring recommendations made by a high-level committee formed by the body.

Emphasising the sensitivity of the issue, Dhami said that matters related to the Guru Granth Sahib are deeply connected to the faith and sentiments of the Sikh community and must be handled with utmost seriousness. He alleged that the government is politicising the issue instead of engaging in meaningful consultation.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH