Amritsar: Another alleged incident of sacrilege has surfaced, just a day after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Akal Takht rejected amendments to the Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026. This development has raised fresh concerns over the effectiveness of preventive measures and points towards persistent gaps in enforcement and policy, even as the SGPC continues to rely largely on warnings without visible, concrete action.
AI-Generated Image Sparks Outrage
The latest controversy stems from a photograph circulating on social media, believed to be AI-generated, purportedly showing three men standing around a two-wheeler inside the parikrama of the Golden Temple. The individuals are seen wearing footwear and with uncovered heads, considered a deeply disrespectful act. The episode has once again intensified scrutiny of the SGPC's efforts to curb sacrilege, particularly in the digital age.
SGPC's Response and Legal Gaps
SGPC legal adviser and spokesperson Amanbir Singh Siali stated that the matter itself proves why the SGPC and Akal Takht convened a special meeting on Sunday. "We have been consistently asking what concrete measures the government has taken to prevent sacrilege, especially those enabled through AI technologies," he said. Explaining their decision to reject the amendments, he noted that both the SGPC and Akal Takht maintained that they were not consulted, which is causing such incidents time and again.
Amanbir also flagged significant gaps in the proposed law, particularly its failure to address AI-driven content manipulation. "There are no clear provisions dealing with AI-generated sacrilege, watermarking, or digital tracing. The existing IT framework alone is insufficient," he added. When asked what action the SGPC has taken on its own so far, he said the SGPC has constituted a sub-committee of academic and technical experts who are contemplating the issue.
Ongoing Concerns
The SGPC has been issuing advisories and warnings against such acts, but there has been little visible progress since such incidents—real or fabricated—continue to surface with alarming frequency. The rejection of the amendments by the SGPC and Akal Takht underscores the need for stronger legal provisions and proactive measures to prevent sacrilege, especially in an era where AI can easily create misleading content.
