Amritsar, March 31: A significant meeting of Sikh institutions and religious scholars will take place on April 6 at the Darbar Sahib complex to discuss the Punjab government’s upcoming legislative moves against sacrilege. The SGPC executive committee maintains that a coordinated response is necessary before the state assembly meets on April 13 to amend existing laws related to the Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act.
President Harjinder Singh Dhami asserted that the proposed law must recognize the unique status of the Guru Granth Sahib as a living Guru rather than treating it as a standard religious scripture. He stated that the lack of stringent, “toothed” laws has historically allowed perpetrators to escape justice, leading to a recurring cycle of desecration incidents.
“Guru Sahib Granth Sahib is a living Guru so it should be treated in the same way in the proposed law,” Dhami maintained. “It should not be treated as other scriptures.”
The SGPC has reached out to legal experts, representatives of the Nirmala and Udasi traditions, and heads of various Kar Sewa sects to participate in the deliberations. Dhami affirmed that the organization is advocating for the inclusion of capital punishment at the central level to serve as a deterrent across all states.
Officials noted that the SGPC remains cautious about the state government’s lack of transparency regarding the draft of the new bill. Dhami declared that the committee has made repeated inquiries to the government-led select committee on religious offences but has yet to be briefed on the specifics of the proposed legislation. The April 6 assembly aims to ensure that the Sikh community’s expectations are clearly communicated before the special session in Chandigarh.
