The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab is planning to amend the recently notified anti-sacrilege law amid pressure from Sikh clerics and Panthiya bodies, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
They added that the government is likely to hold a session of the Vidhan Sabha soon to discuss the legislative amendments.
The controversy revolves around the Jagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, which was passed by the state assembly on April 13 and received assent from Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on April 17. Although intended to act as a strong deterrent to acts of desecration, the law quickly came into conflict with the Akal Takht, the highest provisional Sikh seat, which strongly objected to specific clauses, stating that such clauses conflicted with matters that fell strictly within the Sikh religious faith. Authority.
Sikh clerics also pointed out that central religious institutions, such as the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, were not adequately consulted during the drafting process.
Also read: New anti-sacrilege law in Punjab leaves devotees with holy books at home in a dilemma
The religious and political standoff escalated on June 29, when Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, acting Akal Takht, issued a stern directive after summoning all members of the Sikh Legislative Council from across party lines to appear before the Takht, giving a one-month ultimatum to amend “controversial” parts of the law. In the wake of the decree, opposition parties, led by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), intensified their attack against the ruling RJD.
A Cabinet meeting is expected to be held in a few days to finalize the amendments and the schedule for the Vidhan Sabha session will be notified soon, an official aware of the developments said. “We have conducted a survey and also got comments from various Sikh religious bodies who are not opposed to the amendments in the law but want some issues to be dealt with in a religious context and with compassion,” the official said.
“AAP president Arvind Kejriwal will also arrive in the state on July 17, after which the amendments will be finalized,” said a senior party leader, who did not want to reveal his name.
He said that the planned amendments would not reduce the strict penalties of the law. The law currently provides for life imprisonment and a fine of up to $25 lakh for acts of sacrilege (beadbi) against Guru Granth Sahib. “Our comments and surveys show that people fully support the tough sanctions and sanctions clauses,” the AAP leader added.
