Chandigarh, July 14 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday tabled the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill, 2025 to ensure stringent punishment for those committing the heinous crime of sacrilege, including life imprisonment. It was listed for debate on Tuesday.

On the demand of Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa that the Bill should be either listed for debate on Tuesday, the last day of the extended special assembly, as they didn’t get time to go through it or it should be referred to the select committee for scrutiny and the discussion would be held later accordingly.

Agreeing to the request, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said the debate on the Bill will take place on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, the Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Mann, approved the Bill.

A spokesperson for the Chief Minister’s Office said that there have been numerous incidents in the past involving the sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and other revered granths, deeply wounding public sentiment and causing unrest in society.

While Sections 298, 299, and 300 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita of 2023 address such issues, they do not prescribe sufficiently stringent penalties to serve as an effective deterrent.

Considering the gravity of such offences and the imperative to preserve communal harmony and religious sanctity, the Cabinet found it necessary to introduce state-specific legislation providing enhanced penalties, including life imprisonment, for those convicted of sacrilege against any holy granth.

The Bill mandates strict punishment, extending up to life imprisonment, for the desecration of sacred granths including the Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Holy Bible, Quran Sharif, and other revered granths.

With the enactment of this law, the state seeks to further strengthen the ethos of communal harmony, brotherhood, peace, and amity, said the government spokesperson.

It will also act as a strong deterrent against anti-social and anti-national activities by ensuring severe punishment for perpetrators of this heinous crime.

Notably, until now, no specific legislation existed that directly addressed offences against holy granths, often resulting in leniency or evasion of serious action by the culprits.

The new Act aims to fill that legal void by criminalising and prescribing punishments for acts of sacrilege across all sects and faiths.

Under the proposed law, any person found guilty of sacrilege may face imprisonment ranging from 10 years to life. Those attempting the offence may be sentenced to three to five years, while individuals found abetting the crime will be punished in accordance with the offence committed.

–IANS

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