The move came after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann proposed that the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill, 2025, be sent to the select committee that may include representatives of all political parties. It will gather inputs from the public, religious bodies and other stakeholders.
The anti-sacrilege bill was introduced in the House by CM Mann on Monday, saying there must be stringent punishment for those involved in the desecration of religious scriptures.
While wrapping up a discussion on the bill, he referred to the sacrilege incidents of 2015 under the SAD-BJP rule and said there cannot be a bigger crime.
“The strictest punishment should be given for sacrilegious acts against religious scriptures. Those who burn them, those who tear them, there cannot be a bigger crime than this,” he said.
The Speaker said the select committee will be formed by him to seek public opinion on the bill. Before the start of the discussion on the bill, an ‘ardas’ ( Sikh religious prayer) was performed in the House.
Taking part in the discussion on the Bill, Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa targeted the AAP government over the sacrilege issue, accusing it of failing to keep its promise of bringing perpetrators of desecration of religious texts to justice.
Bajwa said AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal had promised to ensure justice in sacrilege incidents within 24 hours.
Claiming that suspended AAP MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh was once AAP’s “poster boy”, Bajwa said he had not been allowed to raise the sacrilege issue in the House. Kunwar was not present in the House even today, said Bajwa.
Bajwa said the Arvind Kejriwal outfit used to blame the Badals for the sacrilege and police firing incidents. He questioned why former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and the then deputy chief minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal, were not named in the Behbal Kalan police firing case.
The leader of opposition accused the AAP government of not being sincere in ensuring justice in the 2015 sacrilege and police firing incidents.
‘Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal have not been named in the case. You compromised with the Badals. The cat is out of the bag,” alleged Bajwa.
On the bill, Bajwa said there is a difference between scriptures and a living Guru. “We consider Guru Granth Sahib as a living Guru. We cannot equate it with scriptures,” he said as he demanded that the bill should explicitly reflect this belief to uphold the sanctity of Sikh traditions.
He also demanded a time-bound probe into the sacrilegious acts, adding that the investigation should be completed in 30 days.
Bajwa also demanded that bullets should not be fired at people protesting against sacrilege incidents.
Participating in the discussion on the Bill, Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira said this bill will not have a retrospective effect.
He claimed that the bill will not get the President’s assent as it clashes with the provisions of the BNS.
Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali demanded that there should not be any politics over the sacrilege issue and said that a transparent probe should be conducted.
Congress MLA Pargat Singh asked why the state government “delayed” the granting of sanction to prosecute jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the 2015 sacrilege incidents.
AAP MLA Aman Arora lashed out at the previous Akali and Congress regimes for their “inaction” in sacrilege cases.
He said the SIT led by Additional Director General of Police L K Yadav, probing the 2015 Kotkapura police firing case, had filed a chargesheet naming the Badals and ex-DGP Sumedh Saini and others.
The case is currently pending in the Court of Faridkot Additional Sessions Judge.
BJP MLA Ashwani Sharma supported the Bill, saying it is a very serious issue and those who indulge in sacrilegious acts are “sinners.” Sharma suggested that religious texts like Ram Charit Manas, Hanuman Chalisa and Shiv Puran should be included in the Bill. BJP MLA Jangi Lal Mahajan demanded the includion of idols of Hindu God as well.
The bill mandates strict punishment for the desecration of holy scriptures, including the Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Quran.
According to the bill, any person found guilty of sacrilege may face imprisonment ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment. The guilty shall also be liable to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh, which may extend up to Rs 10 lakh. PTI CHS VSD RT RT
