Chandigarh | The Akal Takht has raised objections to certain provisions of the anti-sacrilege law, the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, and summoned all Sikh MLAs including ministers in Amritsar on Monday for their clarification on the legislation.
The highest temporal seat of Sikhs has accused the Punjab government of interfering in the religious affairs and its authority.
The main objections raised by the Akal Takht against the anti-sacrilege law:
1.
The Punjab government enacted the anti-sacrilege law without consulting the Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which are the top Sikh bodies.
2.
The Akal Takht objected to Clause 2 of the Act, saying the word 'Bir' and 'Birs' should be substituted with 'Saroop' (copy of Guru Granth Sahib) and 'Saroops'.
The Akal Takht Jathedar said the Vidhan Sabha has no right to decide on the Sikh terminology and it is the exclusive domain of the Akal Takht.
3.
The Akal Takht also questioned the word 'custodian' of the religious text, who is responsible for the protection of 'Saroop' and observance of 'Sikh Rehat Maryada' (Sikh Code of Conduct).
According to the Akal Takht, the Vidhan Sabha cannot decide the 'Sikh Rehat Maryada' and fix the responsibility of a 'custodian'. It is only the Akal Takht which can decide about it.
4.
The Akal Takht also objected to Sections 3A of the law which speaks about maintaining a central register containing details of printing, storage and supply of 'Saroops' in physical and electronic form.
According to the Akal Takht, making public on the SGPC's website information regarding who has the 'Saroop' of the Guru Granth Sahib is highly objectionable as it can expose the personal information of devout Sikhs, which could be misused by mischievous elements.
It is also against assigning a unique identification number to each 'Saroop'.
5.
The Akal Takht questioned Section 5 of the Act which proposes punishment for upto five years and a fine of Rs 10 lakh for an offence except the act of sacrilege. The Akal Takht said it can be misused against 'granthis', 'sewadars' or gurdwara committees.
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj directed the Punjab government on Monday to remove objectionable clauses in the anti-sacrilege law within a month, as all Sikh MLAs, including ministers, from the state appeared before the highest seat of Sikhism after being summoned.
Addressing the lawmakers at the Akal Takht, Gargajj pointed out 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.
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.
He 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.
Notably, the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was unanimously passed by the Punjab Assembly on April 13. It includes a provision for stricter punishment, including life imprisonment for any act of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib. It also proposes fines from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh.
The AAP government had convened a special session of the Vidhan Sabha on April 13 to amend the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2008, for stricter punishment against sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Amritsar | Several Punjab MLAs on Monday acknowledged before the Akal Takht that they did not read the draft legislation of the anti-sacrilege law before it was passed by the state assembly in April, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gragajj claimed on Monday.
He also claimed that the government sent the draft law to the MLAs only a day in advance.
As many as 87 Sikh MLAs, including ministers, on Monday appeared before the Akal Takht in Amritsar which summoned them for their clarification on the anti-sacrilege law-- the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026.
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj directed the Punjab government to remove objectionable clauses in the anti-sacrilege law within a month.
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.
Five 'Singh Sahibs' led the meeting, including Gargajj, Granthi of Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib Giani Baljit Singh, Giani Kewal Singh, Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Giani Tek Singh and Panj Piara of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Mangal Singh.
The proceedings began with the Akal Takht secretariat office showing two video clips of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in which he could be heard saying that custodians of any mentally unstable person indulging in desecration of a religious text will face action.
Gargajj asked MLAs and ministers whether it was mentioned in the law that parents of the mentally unstable would be held responsible.
He questioned minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian and MLAs whether it is incorporated in the law.
With the proceedings of the meeting being shown live on YouTube, AAP MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar urged the Jathedar not to telecast it as it is a sensitive matter.
The Jathedar then said the CM had said that every proceeding should be telecast live.
Gargajj asked the ruling party MLAs whether they consulted the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee or the Akal Takht before drafting the anti-sacrilege law, the main grouse of the top Sikh body.
Gargajj asked AAP MLA Jagrup Singh whether he had read the draft legislation. The legislator replied that he did not go through it, though he gave his consent to it.
"I could not read it as there was not enough time to study it," he said.
When Gargajj asked AAP MLA Kulwant Singh the same question, he replied that he did not read the draft legislation either. However, he gave approval to it, the MLA further said.
When the jathedar asked the MLAs when they got the draft anti-sacrilege bill, the Congress MLAs stated that they did not get adequate time to examine it.
Congress MLA Partap Singh Bajwa said the AAP government chose to ignore his suggestions regarding the anti-sacrilege Act, which was passed on April 13.
Bajwa said during the discussion on the Bill in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on April 13, he had personally urged the Speaker to extend the Special Session by a few more days so that the views of the Jathedars of all Takht Sahibs, the SGPC could be obtained and incorporated before passing the legislation.
When the jathedar queried SAD MLA Ganieve Kaur Majithia about the law, she said she did not attend the Vidhan Sabha session when the bill was tabled.
She claimed that she was not allowed to raise issues in the House and accused the treasury benches of "humiliating" the opposition members.
The jathedar claimed that during the discussions, several MLAs admitted that they did not read the draft of the legal amendment before passing it, which showed that "this law has been passed by the Punjab government in a hurry without understanding its seriousness and sensitivity".
He said this is a very "serious negligence" on the part of the Punjab government in the matters of Guru Granth Sahib and sacrilege. He said the government sent the draft law to the MLAs only a day in advance.
The jathedar also questioned the AAP government why it did not bring Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to Punjab for questioning regarding the 2015 sacrilege incidents in Faridkot.
He also questioned the government on justice to the Sikhs and the victims of the 2017 Maur terrorist bomb blast case.
Several AAP legislators stood up when Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira raised questions over the law. The jathedar then reprimanded those who were standing, saying, "It is Sri Akal Takht Sahib, sit down."
The Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was unanimously passed by the Punjab Assembly on April 13. It includes a provision for stricter punishment, including life imprisonment, for any act of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib.
Chandigarh | Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Monday said the state government must consult the Akal Takht before enacting any law related to Sikh religious affairs.
In a statement here, Warring said an agreement signed in 1959 between then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Akali leader Master Tara Singh had recognised the need to consult the Akal Takht on such matters.
He said the agreement was recently also referred to by the Akal Takht Jathedar.
He hoped that following Akal Takht's directions, the state government would incorporate the amendments suggested in the proposed law, and claimed that even during British rule, no law concerning Sikh religious affairs was enacted without consulting the community.
Criticising Sikh MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party for reportedly waiting for party supremo Arvind Kejriwal's approval before attending a meeting convened by the Akal Takht Jathedar, Warring said the meeting was related to a religious issue and not a party matter.
Since the legislators had been invited as members of the Sikh community, like Sikh MLAs from other political parties, they did not require permission from anyone, including their party leadership, to attend the meeting, he added.
