The Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab is in the process of framing a stringent state law to address incidents of sacrilege, with the proposed legislation mandating life imprisonment for acts of desecration against religious scriptures. This significant legal step aims to create a powerful deterrent against such crimes.
The Proposed Legislation and Its Genesis
AAP's Punjab media in-charge, Baltej Pannu, addressed the media in Chandigarh on Sunday, outlining the government's commitment. He revealed that the proposal has already been tabled before the Punjab Assembly. The Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scriptures Bill, 2025, was introduced during a special session of the Vidhan Sabha held on July 14 last year.
The core provision of the bill is a strict punishment structure, extending up to life imprisonment, for the desecration of holy scriptures. This includes revered texts like Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, and the Quran.
Following the tabling of the bill, the Assembly Speaker constituted a committee to consult all stakeholders. This committee, led by AAP MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar, was given a six-month timeframe to gather inputs. Pannu stated that meetings have been held with representatives of all parties to collect suggestions for framing a robust and uncompromising state law.
Political Sparring Over Sacrilege and Accountability
Pannu's briefing also included sharp criticism directed at Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami. He accused Dhami of acting as a spokesperson for the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) rather than upholding justice and truth.
This accusation came in response to a press conference held by Dhami in Chandigarh a day earlier. Pannu pointed out that the invitation for Dhami's press meet was issued by the SAD. He quoted Dhami as saying he was proud to be a soldier of the Akali Dal, remarking that it would have been better if he were a soldier of the Guru Sahib.
Pannu strongly objected to Dhami's claim that the SGPC does not accept FIRs and does not need the police, calling the statement completely misleading. He argued that the SGPC itself is constituted under an Act of law and requires permission from the Deputy Commissioner for its general house meetings in Amritsar.
Historical References and Allegations of Inaction
Drawing from his journalistic experience, Pannu revisited past events to question the track record of previous Akali governments. He mentioned that while Prakash Singh Badal spoke about a Truth Commission in 1996, subsequent Akali regimes allegedly promoted officers accused of atrocities.
He also raised questions about the handling of specific cases. Pannu asserted that when the name of SS Kohli surfaced in connection with an issue, a news channel linked to Dhami's party suppressed the story. He expressed hope that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) would now uncover related secrets.
Pannu further highlighted the Ishar Singh report, which reportedly stated that 75% of a payment should be recovered from SS Kohli, but no action has been taken in five years. He criticized the Sikh Judicial Gurdwara Commission for its inaction, alleging it is influenced by people close to the Akali Dal.
The AAP leader also reminded the public of past sacrilege incidents, including the theft of Saroops at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala on June 1, 2015, and subsequent sacrilege cases in November of that year. He questioned what concrete steps the SGPC took beyond putting up posters, especially when it claims not to need the police.
Referring to the Kotkapura firing, where devotees demanding justice were met with force, Pannu noted that FIRs were registered against Sukhbir Singh Badal and others, who then had to seek bail from the High Court. He presented this as evidence against claims of being above the law.
In a direct challenge, Pannu demanded that Dhami answer honestly in his next press conference about a diary that allegedly contains details of beadbi cases and 328 missing Saroops. He questioned why this diary has been hidden and whether Dhami's presidency depends on it. Pannu concluded by stating that he will soon make public details of all FIRs registered by the SGPC so far.
