Chandigarh, April 13 (IANS) The Punjab Assembly on Monday unanimously passed the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, providing for life imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 25 lakh for the sacrilege (‘beadbi’) of the Guru Granth Sahib.

The Bill aimed to provide a stringent legal deterrent against attempts to disturb communal harmony through organised acts of desecration.

It also mandates the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the mini parliament of the religion, as custodian of all ‘saroops’.

When the Bill was debated and passed in the one-day special session, members of the Sant Samaj and leaders of various religious sects were present.

The Bill defined sacrilege as “any wilful and deliberate act, committed with the intent of desecration by way of physical damaging, defacing, burning, tearing or theft of the Saroop(s) of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib or part thereof, or by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or through electronic means or otherwise, which is of such a nature as to hurt the religious feelings of persons professing the Sikh faith”.

Proposing fines ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, it also treats abettors, those who incite or facilitate the crime, on par with the primary offenders, making them liable for the same maximum punishment.

As the AAP government tabled the stringent amendment Bill, state Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains declared it a historic and uncompromising step towards justice.

He said the Bill marked a sharp departure from previous regimes, with the government asserting its intent to enforce strict, time-bound action and eliminate any scope for compromise in cases of ‘beadbi’.

Commencing the discussion on the landmark Bill in the Assembly, Bains underscored the government’s commitment to safeguarding the sanctity of Sikh scriptures. He expressed a deep sense of privilege, saying: “I am not just an MLA today. I am a voice of the land where Sri Guru Gobind Singh-ji gifted the Khalsa to the universe 327 years ago on April 13.”

Contrasting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government’s move with previous regimes, he said: “So-called ‘Panthic’ governments failed to enact a stringent law to protect the honour of Guru Granth Sahib, with some even guilty of desecration and later confessing at Sri Akal Takht Sahib.”

The minister hailed the Bill as a comprehensive and visionary law, while outlining key provisions that only DSP-rank officers or above can investigate ‘beadbi’ cases, with strict timelines for investigation and trial.

The offence would be non-compoundable and cognisable, prohibiting out-of-court settlements and allowing warrantless arrests.

Bains emphasised: “The law extends beyond the Sikh community, as Sri Guru Granth Sahib-ji is a revered scripture for Hindus, Muslims and all who cherish its message globally, thereby bringing peace to the minds of believers across faiths.”

Recalling his constituency, Sri Anandpur Sahib’s significance, he said Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib founded the city of Chak-Nanki (now Sri Anandpur Sahib).”I feel blessed that I got an opportunity to represent this holy land. CM Bhagwant Mann laid this Assembly at the Guru’s feet to commemorate the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib-ji.”

–IANS

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