Anti-Sacrilege Bill: Tript Rajinder Bajwa raises key concerns on Guru Granth Sahib’s dignity, advises Govt on legal safeguards; Watch Video
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, April 13, 2026: During the debate on the anti-sacrilege bill in the Punjab Legislative Assembly, Congress MLA Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa raised significant legal and religious concerns, urging the government to ensure that the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib is protected even during legal proceedings.
Bajwa recalled that during the previous Congress government, a prolonged legal battle was fought to take sacrilege cases away from the Central Bureau of Investigation.
He said that when the CBI attempted to close the cases, the Assembly passed a resolution to hand them over to Punjab Police, and the matter was pursued up to the Supreme Court to enable a state-led Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe.
He noted that the action being seen today against certain officials had its roots in the steps taken during that period.
Highlighting a sensitive issue, Bajwa pointed out that in sacrilege cases, desecrated religious texts are often treated as “case property” or legal evidence. He urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to clarify in the bill how such sacred forms would be handled.
He suggested that instead of keeping them at police stations or with magistrates, proper provisions should be made to ensure they are preserved with full religious dignity within gurdwaras, even during the course of investigation.
Bajwa also reminded the House that people in Punjab continue to feel pain over unresolved past sacrilege cases, including incidents like Bargari. He expressed concern over cases being shifted outside the state and urged the government to ensure justice is delivered in a timely and transparent manner.
While extending full support to the bill, Bajwa emphasised that attention to such critical details is essential to ensure the law is not merely symbolic but effectively safeguards both justice and religious sentiments.