Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said that the Anti-sacrilege Bill is aimed at preventing future incidents of desecration by imposing the strictest punishments on offenders. He made these remarks during a debate on the ‘Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill 2025’ held on the final day of the Special Session of the Punjab Assembly. The Assembly decided to send the Bill, introduced a day earlier, to a Select Committee to gather opinions from all stakeholders.

Mann emphasized that the Guru Granth Sahib, regarded as a living Guru, is deeply respected worldwide and serves as a beacon of peace and guidance. He said the government is sensitive to the emotional pain caused by past incidents of sacrilege and condemned such acts as grave offenses against humanity. He highlighted that the Guru Granth Sahib holds eternal spiritual significance and that no one can tolerate such disrespect. Mann also mentioned that scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita, Quran, Bible, and others are universally valued for offering moral and spiritual direction.

He further added that every devout Sikh has a strong spiritual connection to the ‘Shabad Guru’ in the form of the Guru Granth Sahib and the Gurmukhi script, which embodies the Guru’s voice. Mann said these sacrilegious acts have wounded the collective consciousness of Punjabis, especially Sikhs. Without strong legal consequences, such incidents continued unchecked, prompting the need for this legislation.

The Bill proposes 10 years to life imprisonment for anyone convicted of sacrilege, along with a fine of ₹5 to ₹10 lakh. Those who attempt such acts could face 3 to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to ₹3 lakh. People who abet such crimes will face penalties based on the severity of the offence. The Bill defines sacrilege as acts like damaging, defacing, burning, tearing, or otherwise harming any holy scripture or part of it.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI.