Akal Takht gives Punjab govt month to alter anti-sacrilege law

Demands removal of objectionable clauses

Amritsar: Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj directed the Punjab government on Monday to remove objectionable clauses in the anti-sacrilege law in line with Sikh sentiments within a month, as Sikh MLAs, including ministers, from the state appeared before the highest seat of Sikhism after being summoned.

Addressing the lawmakers at the Akal Takht, its head priest Gargajj pointed out several objections to the law and asked the state to put on hold the implementation of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, until suitable amendments are made.

Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the Jathedar has granted the Punjab government one month to examine the proposed amendments and suggestions.

The proposed amendments and recommendations would be formally communicated to all through the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker.

“Once the proposed amendments are received from Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the government will examine them in detail and, after due deliberation, take an appropriate decision,” he said.

Jathedar Gargajj had, on June 15, directed all Sikh legislators, regardless of party affiliation, and Sikh ministers to appear before the highest temporal seat of Sikhs for their clarification after it objected to the anti-sacrilege law, saying that it was enacted without consulting the Sikh Panth.

The Akal Takht had earlier also asked the state government to remove certain provisions from the anti-sacrilege Act, claiming that they are “against the Guru Granth Sahib, the Khalsa Panth and the sentiments of the ‘Sangat’ (Sikh community)”.

Gargajj said a total of 87 MLAs, including ministers, were present. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had not been summoned.

The jathedar said objections relating to the law should be addressed within one month by bringing suitable amendments, and also urged the state government not to interfere in religious affairs.

Gargajj handed over a list of objections to the MLAs, including one regarding the replacement of the word ‘Bir’ with ‘saroop’ (a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib).

The Jathedar told the MLAs that the state assembly had no right to decide on the Sikh terminology, and asserted that only Akal Takht could take a call on the matter. He also pointed to certain provisions of the law regarding the word “custodians” and the unique identification number of ‘saroop’ to which the Akal Takht had objections.

Gargajj said it is not the government’s job to determine the ‘custodian’ of the religious text and their responsibilities as it is an internal matter of the Sikhs.

The government’s law has created fear in the minds of the general Sikh community and this will create a big obstacle in the preaching of the Sikh faith, he claimed. He also asked the government to include a provision in the law that if a follower of an anti-Sikh Dera or a person associated with such Dera deliberately commits sacrilege, then a case should also be registered against the head of the concerned Dera.

He, however, stated that he had no objection to punishing those who are guilty of desecrating the Guru Granth Sahib.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Cabinet Minister Harpal Cheema reiterated their profound reverence for the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs and said the state government would give due consideration to the suggestions received while fully upholding the dignity and sanctity of Sri Akal Takht Sahib.