Punjab is set for a politically significant legislative move on April 13, with the AAP government preparing to introduce a stringent anti sacrilege law during a special Vidhan Sabha session on Baisakhi. The proposed legislation seeks to amend the existing Jagt Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2008 to provide stricter punishment for acts of sacrilege involving the Guru Granth Sahib.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has positioned the move as a decisive step, asserting a policy of “zero tolerance” against sacrilege. He has said that the Guru Granth Sahib, revered as a living Guru, must be protected through strong legal provisions that ensure exemplary punishment for offenders.
The revised provisions are expected to include a minimum sentence of 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment, along with fines and possible attachment of property in serious cases.
However, the proposed law has triggered fresh political contestation, with BJP Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar demanding greater transparency before it is tabled.
Mann has maintained that the legislation is being drafted after consultations with legal experts and religious bodies to ensure it withstands constitutional scrutiny. He has also indicated that the government is mindful of past hurdles, as earlier attempts to bring stricter sacrilege laws faced delays due to the requirement of Presidential assent.
However, the proposed law has triggered fresh political contestation, with BJP Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar demanding greater transparency before it is tabled. In a letter to the Chief Minister, Jakhar has sought that the draft of the proposed amendments, along with the report of the select committee examining the issue, be made public and shared with political parties and religious institutions in advance.
Calling sacrilege an “extremely sensitive matter”, Jakhar has argued that wider consultation is essential and that all stakeholders, including the public, must be taken into confidence before any legislation is enacted. He has stressed that making the draft available beforehand would allow a “serious, logical and constitutional discussion” on the issue.
The demand gains significance as the amendments relate directly to the 2008 Act and follow earlier legislative attempts, including the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scriptures Bill, 2025, which was referred to a select committee headed by MLA Inderjit Singh Nijjar.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has continued to use the issue to target previous regimes, particularly the Shiromani Akali Dal, alleging that they failed to deliver justice in the 2015 sacrilege incidents and subsequent police firing cases. He has projected the proposed amendments as a long-overdue step to restore faith and ensure accountability.
Opposition parties, however, have questioned both the substance and timing of the move. Leaders have argued that while sacrilege is a deeply sensitive issue, the government appears to be foregrounding it at a time when it faces mounting scrutiny over governance.
Critics have pointed to concerns around the state’s anti-drug campaign, including discrepancies in arrest figures and allegations of exaggerated claims.
