All Sikh ministers and MLAs appear before Akal

Takht

several admit they backed the Bill without reading it

Chandigarh, 29 June (H.S.): Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar

Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj has directed the Punjab Government to amend the

Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, within one

month, raising objections to several provisions and terms used in the law

related to sacrilege.

The directions were issued during a hearing held at the

Akal Takht Secretariat on Monday, where all Sikh ministers and MLAs of the

Punjab Government appeared before Akal Takht Sahib. Sikh legislators from the

Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and Independent MLAs also appeared before the

Takht during the proceedings.

During the hearing, Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj made

it clear that Akal Takht Sahib had no objection to the government framing a

strict law to punish those guilty of sacrilege. However, he said the state

Assembly could not decide matters linked to Sikh terminology, Sikh maryada and

Panthic traditions. He said the law should be kept on hold until the objections

raised by Akal Takht Sahib are addressed.

The Jathedar asked the ministers and MLAs present two

questions regarding the provisions of the Act. During the proceedings, several

legislators reportedly admitted that they had supported the Bill in the Punjab

Assembly without reading it. This became one of the key points of the hearing,

with Akal Takht questioning how lawmakers could give approval to a law

concerning Sri Guru Granth Sahib without studying its contents.

Jathedar Gargaj also played two statements of Punjab

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during the hearing. In the statements, the Chief

Minister was heard saying that if a person committing sacrilege was mentally

ill, then his parents or custodian would be punished. The Jathedar asked the

ministers and MLAs whether such a provision had actually been written in the

law.

Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian could not

give a clear reply to the query. At this point, AAP MLA Dr Inderbir Singh

Nijjar said the proceedings should not be telecast live as the matter was

sensitive. Responding to this, the Jathedar said the Chief Minister himself had

demanded that every proceeding should be telecast live and had even challenged

Akal Takht on the matter.

Jathedar Gargaj said the government was free to make its

own laws, but any law concerning Sikhs and Sikh institutions must be framed

after taking the opinion of the Sikh community. He questioned whether Akal

Takht Sahib or the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had been properly consulted

before bringing amendments in the law.

MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar said the SGPC was called when

suggestions were sought, but added that no letter was sent by the committee. He

said he was not aware of the government’s side on the matter. Leader of Opposition

Partap Singh Bajwa said he had raised the issue in the House, but the Speaker

did not accept his demand. AAP MLA Jagroop Singh also admitted that he had

supported the law but had not read it. Akali MLA Ganieve Kaur Majithia said

opposition members are insulted when they try to speak in the Assembly. When

MLA Kulwant Singh was asked about the law, he too said that he had not read it.

During the several-hour-long hearing, the Jathedar said

the government has the authority to create criminal provisions for punishing

those guilty of sacrilege, but it cannot define Sikh religious terminology on

its own. He objected to the use of the word “Bir” in the Act and said the word

“Saroop” should be used instead. He said the Assembly has no authority to

decide Sikh terminology. He added that if “Saroop” had been used along with

“Bir”, there would have been no objection.

The Jathedar also objected to the use of the term

“custodian” in the law. He said a custodian means a caretaker or a person to

whom Sri Guru Granth Sahib has been entrusted. However, deciding who can be a

custodian is not the government’s right, he said, adding that this authority

belongs to Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the Panth. He said the Panth will decide to

whom the Saroop of Sri Guru Granth Sahib can be given and to whom it cannot be

given. He directed that this term should be removed from the Act.

Akal Takht Sahib also objected to the provision of

assigning a unique number to Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Jathedar Gargaj said Sikh

Rehat Maryada clearly states that Gurmat decisions are taken by the Panth, not

by the Assembly. He said the government may send suggestions regarding a unique

numbering system, but it cannot issue directions on such matters. Only the

Panth can take a final decision, he added.

He further raised objections to the law defining the

duties and responsibilities of a custodian. According to him, how Sri Guru

Granth Sahib is to be kept and respected cannot be decided by the Assembly.

This right belongs to the Panth, he said. The government could have suggested

that Akal Takht Sahib consider such steps, but it could not impose them through

legislation.

The Jathedar said Akal Takht Sahib has no objection to

strict punishment for those who commit sacrilege. However, he questioned why

provisions beyond sacrilege had been included in the law. He also pointed out

that the law does not mention that in case of an accident, Sri Guru Granth

Sahib will not be treated as case property.

Concluding the hearing, Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj directed the

Punjab Government to remove all objections raised by Akal Takht Sahib and amend

the law within one month.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH