Sri Akal Takht Sahib Rejects Punjab Government's Response on Sacrilege Law, Constitutes Committee of Sikh Experts to Build Consensus on Amendments
– Punjab Government should coordinate with committee constituted by Sri Akal Takht Sahib and reach a consensus on law within two months: Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj

Babushahi Network

Amritsar, July 30, 2026: 
Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said regarding the response submitted on Wednesday by the Punjab Government on the proposed law to prevent the sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji that it is clear from the government's response that it is not ready to make further amendments to the law in accordance with the sentiments conveyed by Sri Akal Takht Sahib. He said that the spirit of the consensus reached by the Sikh MLAs of the Punjab Legislative Assembly and the Cabinet Ministers at Sri Akal Takht Sahib on June 29, 2026, has not been reflected in the government's response. The government has accepted only one of the objections and points raised by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, while it has continued to adopt a rigid stance on the remaining issues. Moreover, before sending its response, the government did not open the door for timely coordination. He said that the response sent by the government is unsatisfactory and, therefore, cannot be accepted.
Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said that if the government wishes to continue discussions with Sri Akal Takht Sahib regarding the law, a committee has been constituted for this purpose. The committee comprises Justice (Retd) Rupinder Singh Sodhi, Justice (Retd) Mohinder Mohan Singh Bedi, Senior Advocate Puran Singh Hundal, Sikh scholar Dr Kehar Singh Patiala, Prof Jagmohan Singh Ludhiana, and SGPC Chandigarh Sub-Office Secretary Lakhvir Singh as Coordinator. He said the government should establish contact with the committee constituted by Sri Akal Takht Sahib and reach a consensus on the law, and this task should be completed within two months. He said that the door for dialogue from the side of Sri Akal Takht Sahib remains open, but the government should proceed with clear intent and not resort to any kind of cleverness.
Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said that when all Sikh MLAs and Cabinet Ministers visited Sri Akal Takht Sahib on June 29, 2026, they were made to understand the seriousness of the Sikh sentiments involved in the issue. After the Ardas, they expressed their agreement by raising both hands and chanting five Jaikaras to remove the objections that had been raised. He said there had been consensus on removing both custodian-related clauses, but the government's response contains no such provision. Instead, it only defends these clauses by referring to the rules being framed under the Act. If the government’s representatives backtrack from the consensus they had given, Sri Akal Takht Sahib will take serious notice of the matter and appropriate action will be taken.
He said it is the responsibility of all Sikh MLAs and Ministers to recognise their duty as Sikhs and ask the government to amend the law in accordance with the Sikh sentiments recorded by Sri Akal Takht Sahib. He said that once directions are accepted at Sri Akal Takht Sahib, it becomes essential to implement them in their true spirit. He said that one cannot agree to directives at Sri Akal Takht Sahib and then resort to cleverness. The government may prescribe punishment for those guilty of sacrilege, but the rest of the law has already been rejected by Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
Jathedar Gargajj said that determining the custodian is not within the jurisdiction of the government. The government's authority extends only to prescribing punishment for those guilty of sacrilege, and there is no objection even if such punishment is extremely stringent. He said Sri Akal Takht Sahib has no need for the government's interpretation of the term "custodian." He made it clear that both custodian-related clauses must be removed because interference in religion will not be tolerated.
Jathedar Gargajj said that the government also has no authority to decide on assigning unique numbers to the holy Birs (scriptures) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Similarly, the Punjab Government cannot decide how the record of the holy Birs should be uploaded to a website or how a central register should be maintained, because these matters are part of the SGPC’s internal administrative system, for which appropriate arrangements have already been made by the institution.
He said that the government's response also states that if a Dera head instigates one of his followers to commit sacrilege, then under Section 2(1)(aa) of the Act relating to the custodian, he too will be considered a custodian. However, according to the Act, a custodian is the person who is in possession of the holy Bir of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. This is a serious error in the government's response, the consequences of which had already been foreseen and pointed out by Sri Akal Takht Sahib. He questioned how a person committing sacrilege could himself be considered the custodian.
He said that regarding the delivery of justice in sacrilege cases through Fast Track Courts, the government has stated that it will take timely steps, but a specific provision to this effect must be incorporated into the Act.
Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj directed all Sikh MLAs of the Punjab Legislative Assembly and the Cabinet Ministers to ensure that during the Assembly session beginning on August 3, no discussion takes place on the anti-sacrilege law until consensus is reached with Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the SGPC on the issue, and not to given consent to any further amendments to the law.
Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said the government should disclose who its secret advisers are from whom it is seeking advice. He pointed out that on June 29 he had clearly told the MLAs and Ministers that his mobile phone remains switched on at all times and the government could contact him for consultation whenever it wished, but it did not do so.
He said the real issue is to ensure justice for the Sikhs in sacrilege cases, particularly those related to 2015. He said that Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim should be arrested in connection with the sacrilege cases and brought to Punjab. The accused in the Bargari sacrilege cases have not been punished, nor has any action been taken to bring back the sacrilege-related cases that were transferred outside Punjab. The accused in the Maur bomb blast case have still not been arrested, and justice has not been delivered to the victims.
Replying to a question regarding guidance sought by Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa on how Sikh MLAs should conduct themselves during the Assembly session beginning on August 3 in view of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann having been declared Guru Dokhi and Khalsa Panth Virodhi, Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said that all Sikh MLAs should act according to their conscience inside the Assembly. He said that the Legislative Assembly is supreme, not the Chief Minister. Therefore, MLAs should distance themselves from the Chief Minister, not engage with him, neither answer his questions nor ask him anything. Instead, they should address the Speaker while facing the Chair.