The Akal Takht, a recently established anti-sacrilege law that stipulates a life sentence for any “beadbi (insult)” of the Guru Granth Sahib, is causing opposition to the Aam Aadmi Party administration in Punjab.
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj has given his government 15 days to amend the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act’s provisions that he claims are “against the Guru Granth Sahib, the Khalsa Panth and the sentiments of the Sikh community,” while Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is leading a “Shukrana Yatra” throughout the state to show “gratitude.” The Akal Takht’s administrative authority, the SGPC, claims it was ignored and not consulted when the law was being drafted.
Due to a recent split and lawsuits against its leaders, the AAP government is weaker than ever, and the crisis comes at the beginning of Punjab’s election year. The AAP may benefit politically from the new sacrilege regulations, which have been criticised for being overly strict, as well as from criticism of its government for not acting as promised in the 2015 incidents of suspected sacrilege that led to the downfall of the Akali Dal government.
Furthermore, the AAP government has accomplished what the Congress and Akali Dal governments were unable to do by adopting the legislation. The Bill was submitted and enacted within two weeks of Baisakhi, giving the Opposition little time to react, as the Mann government acted quickly to guarantee there was no obstacle.
The AAP government law undermines the SGPC’s claim to be the exclusive arbiter on issues pertaining to the Guru Granth Sahib, as the party’s destiny has been linked to the faltering Akali Dal. The Guru Granth Sahib’s exclusive publishing rights have been owned by the SGPC since 2008, when a law was passed by the Akali Dal administration.
The alleged sacrilege cases from 2015 serve as the background for the anti-sacrilege bill. A Bir of the Guru Granth Sahib was taken from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village on June 1st of that year. Torn pages of the book were later discovered strewn over Bargari. This threw a shadow over nearly the whole Akali Dal government, and the Congress’s victory in 2017 was made possible by the government’s inability to solve the issue.
Following the incidents, followers of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the leader of Dera Sacha Sauda, were arrested. The public’s outrage never decreased, though, and the probe was still unfinished.
The AAP pledged “justice” in the case within 24 hours prior to winning the Assembly elections in 2022. IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh was portrayed as the embodiment of the pledge during the elections. However, Pratap was marginalised shortly after the AAP administration was established, and he was kicked out of the party last year.
Then, last month, the Mann government passed the anti-sacrilege law, despite the 2015 cases showing little real improvement. The CM’s yatra demonstrates that the struggling party is attempting to unite Sikh support around the issue, as it is anticipated to confront a motivated BJP that is overflowing with confidence following the West Bengal victory.
Not the first Bill of this type
In 2016, the SAD-BJP government enacted two bills that proposed changes to the IPC and CrPC and stipulated that disrespect of the Guru Granth Sahib would result in life in jail. However, the Center had returned the law, arguing that Punjab must either withdraw the Bill or include all religions in the proposed revisions, that all religions must be treated equally, and that one religion cannot be singled out to propose life in jail.
The then-Congress government also introduced amendment bills in 2018, this time imposing a life sentence for harming, damaging, or defiling the Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Quran, and Bible. Nevertheless, the President did not sign the bills.
As suggested by previous legislation, the AAP government’s Bill does not aim to change the IPC and CrPC. Rather, it strengthens and modifies a state law that was passed in 2008 during the Akali Dal-BJP administration.
The new law stipulates that anyone found guilty of sacrilege faces a minimum sentence of seven years in prison, with a maximum sentence of twenty years, as well as a fine. A conspiracy pertaining to the same that aims to disturb social harmony or peace may result in a 10-year sentence, which may be extended to life in prison, as well as a fine.
The opposition
Harjinder Singh Dhami, the president of the SGPC, first applauded the bill on the day it was passed, treading gingerly. According to sources, the SGPC was concerned that any opposition may draw attention back to the 2015 sacrilege cases and put pressure on the Akali Dal.
But Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj continued to oppose, claiming that the Guru Granth Sahib could not be subjected to temporal law. Additionally, he voiced concern that the law would be abused against Sikh organisations and regular followers. In the event of sacrilege, some legal provisions hold the guardian of the Guru Granth Sahib liable. There is concern that making it a crime could lead to false accusations because of political or personal rivalry. Additionally, the SGPC has been requested to post the record online, raising concerns about the Guru’s privacy and the close relationship with his followers. Furthermore, there are other questions regarding the Act’s ambiguous provisions.
The Akal Takht Jathedar then called Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and presented complaints to a number of the law’s provisions, giving the administration 15 days to review them.
In response, the AAP government swiftly accused the political leadership of the SGPC of having ties to the initial sacrilege episodes, claiming that this accounted for the SGPC’s opposition to the law. Additionally, Mann declared that there is no need to abolish the statute, which is commonly seen as an oblique challenge to the Akal Takht’s authority.
Mann and Jathedar Garaj have been at odds since the chief minister alluded to “explosive revelations” about the SGPC in January.
Faultlines within the SGPC and the Akal Takht have also been revealed by the debate. Last year, Gargaj’s appointment as Akal Takht Jathedar was contested by SGPC president Dhami. These cracks are now visible.
The Dal of Akali
Sukhbir Singh Badal, the president of the Akali Dal, and the party’s leadership have stayed remarkably silence on the matter, refusing to even directly defend the Akal Takht Jathedar.
Interestingly, the SAD leadership has historically been opposed by numerous Sikh leaders and organisations that support the AAP government and the legislation. Among them is former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, who in December 2024 sentenced Badal to religious punishment due to his purported support of Baba Ram Rahim.
It seems that the Mann administration is purposefully highlighting these individuals in order to deflect criticism from the Akal Takht.
In the meantime, supporters of the Akali Dal believe that the party’s silence highlights how far it has fallen in politics, to the point that it is unable to support the Akal Takht Jathedar.
