AAP targets Akali Dal, Congress after Punjab anti-sacrilege Bill becomes law

Hours after Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria gave his assent to the anti-sacrilege Bill on Sunday, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema trained his guns on the Akali Dal and Congress, accusing them of deliberately enacting weak laws on sacrilege to protect each other and repeatedly opposing the Mann government's Bill.

"The Governor okaying the Bill is a crushing defeat to the opponents' false and deceptive propaganda," Cheema said in a video statement, alleging that the Opposition had colluded over the years to ensure that no strong law against the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib was ever passed.

The Bill, unanimously passed by the Punjab Assembly on April 13, provides for life imprisonment and fines of up to Rs 25 lakh for acts of sacrilege against Sikhism's holiest scripture. With the Governor's approval, it has now become law.

WHAT THE NEW LAW SAYS

In cases involving criminal conspiracy aimed at disturbing peace or communal harmony, the punishment ranges from 10 years to life imprisonment, along with fines from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh.

Attempts to commit sacrilege attract jail terms of three to five years and fines between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 3 lakh.

The law defines sacrilege broadly, covering deliberate acts such as damage, defacement, burning, tearing, theft, or any expression—spoken, written, symbolic or electronic—that hurts religious sentiments.

SGPC TO MAINTAIN CENTRAL REGISTER

The Bill mandates that investigations be conducted by police officers not below the rank of deputy superintendent or assistant commissioner.

It also assigns the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee the responsibility of maintaining a centralised register of all ‘Saroops’ of the Guru Granth Sahib. The database will include unique identification numbers, printing and distribution details, storage locations, and custodian information, and will be maintained in both physical and digital formats.

Custodians will be legally bound to ensure safe handling and adherence to the Sikh code of conduct, with violations attracting penalties of up to five years in jail and fines up to Rs 10 lakh.

PAST ATTEMPTS & LEGAL HURDLES

Acts of sacrilege remain a deeply sensitive issue in Punjab, with repeated demands for stronger legal provisions. Previous attempts to introduce stricter laws, by both the SAD-BJP government in 2016 and the Congress government in 2018, did not receive presidential assent.

The Mann government has argued that existing provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita are inadequate, and the new amendment seeks to address gaps by introducing harsher penalties specifically for desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib.

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