The Punjab Vidhan Sabha approved a significant piece of legislation on Monday aimed at enforcing stringent penalties for acts of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib, a sacred text revered by the Sikh community as a living Guru. The unanimous passage of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, establishes life imprisonment and fines of up to Rs 25 lakh for serious offenses, particularly those executed as part of conspiracies intended to disrupt communal harmony.
The new legislation mandates a minimum sentence of seven years, which can extend to 20 years, along with fines ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh for acts of desecration. Following the Bill’s approval, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed that this initiative represents a crucial rectification of past governmental oversights, effectively closing loopholes left by previous administrations. He emphasized that the Bill aims to prevent future sacrilege of the holy scripture and to ensure prompt investigations, holding accountable not just the perpetrators but also those who facilitate such acts.
Despite the unanimous support for the Bill, discussions in the House were intense, with members of the Congress party raising concerns regarding the government’s motives and the findings of a committee formed to engage with religious leaders and other stakeholders.
Earlier, during a special session convened to coincide with the auspicious Baisakhi festival, Mann introduced the Bill, which received formal backing from Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, an MLA from Anandpur Sahib. This location is historically significant as Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa Panth there in 1699 during Baisakhi.
The Bill explicitly outlines sacrilege as any intentional act that desecrates the Guru Granth Sahib through physical damage, defacement, destruction, or theft, as well as through spoken or written words, signs, or electronic representations that could offend the religious sentiments of Sikhs. Investigations into such offenses will be led by police officers of at least the rank of deputy superintendent or assistant commissioner.
A notable amendment mandates that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee maintain a detailed register documenting the printing, storage, distribution, and supply of the Guru Granth Sahib, complete with a unique identification number for each copy.
Custodians of the Guru Granth Sahib are required to ensure its safe storage and protection against any form of damage, misuse, or loss, adhering to the Sikh code of conduct known as Sikh Rehat Maryada.
The Bill garnered bipartisan support, including backing from the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and an independent member.
During the discussions, Opposition Leader Partap Singh Bajwa highlighted the need for the report from a select committee, which reviewed a similar draft for nine months, to be presented and thoroughly examined in the House. Opposition members also questioned whether the Bill would be enacted into law.
Concerns from the Opposition were fueled by the history of anti-sacrilege Bills introduced by previous SAD-BJP and Congress governments, which had been sent to the President for approval without resolution. Mann responded by stating that this Bill would be forwarded to the governor, assuring that he would advocate for swift action if there were delays, as this was a state measure not requiring presidential approval.
Mann remarked that while the opposition frequently approaches the Governor with complaints against him, they could unite with him in support of this significant cause. He posed a rhetorical question about the safety of the Guru Granth Sahib in Punjab, emphasizing its importance.
In closing the debate, Mann criticized past administrations for their lack of commitment to enacting a law on sacrilege. He accused the Akali-BJP coalition and Congress of exploiting religious sentiments for electoral gain, while asserting that his government is taking meaningful steps to preserve the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Without naming specific individuals, Mann alluded to those responsible for sacrilege who had previously confessed their wrongdoings before the Akal Takht but later retracted their statements for political reasons. “The public is aware of the true nature of these leaders,” he remarked.
Mann also addressed the issue of offenders claiming mental instability, stating that the new law will hold their guardians accountable for such heinous acts. The definition of ‘custodian’ has been broadened to include full responsibility for the safeguarding and prevention of misuse or loss of the Guru Granth Sahib. He assured that investigations will be efficient and that offenses under this law will be both non-bailable and non-compoundable.
Characterizing sacrilege as “a transgression against humanity,” Mann affirmed that the new legislation would ensure that anyone found guilty of this serious crime would face significant repercussions, serving as a deterrent to others.
He described the Bill as a landmark achievement in the fight against sacrilege, portraying the Guru Granth Sahib as a symbol of universal brotherhood, secularism, and socialism that guides humanity’s path. He quoted the Gurbani, highlighting the teachings of the Gurus that remain relevant, emphasizing the interconnectedness of air, water, and land in human life.
