At Akal Takht hearing, AAP MLAs admit they hadn’t read Bill fully; Speaker watches from sidelines

The proceedings began with video clips of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s earlier statements on sacrilege being played on a projector, including his remark that custodians of mentally challenged persons accused of sacrilege should face prosecution if they failed to keep them under supervision.

The Chief Minister was not present as he had earlier been declared “Guru Dokhi” by the Akal Takht over a viral video.

One of the first flashpoints came when the Jathedar asked AAP ministers and MLAs whether the controversial “custodian” provision actually formed part of the Act. None could answer immediately. AAP MLAs Kulwant Singh and Jagrup Singh admitted they had not read the Bill in full before approving it in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, while others said they had received the draft only shortly before it was tabled.

Sensing the government’s discomfort, AAP MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar requested that the live telecast of the proceedings be stopped, arguing that the issue was highly sensitive. The Jathedar declined.

AAP minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian told the Takht that the government’s sole objective was to punish acts of desecration and prevent future incidents. However, the Jathedar continued to question him on specific provisions, particularly the “custodian” clause.

Congress MLA Tripat Rajinder Singh said the Cabinet had approved the Bill on April 11, that it was uploaded to the government’s website late on April 12 and circulated to MLAs on April 13. He said he had sought more time for scrutiny because the legislation was both “important” and “religious”. He also questioned the absence of clarity on the handling of a damaged copy of the Guru Granth Sahib if it became evidence in a criminal case.

Congress MLA Pargat Singh argued that the Assembly had not fully appreciated the implications of the Bill and that such a sensitive religious matter should not have been rushed through like routine legislation.

Manpreet Singh Ayali, now with Shiromani Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), said the intent behind the law might be sound but cautioned that its provisions should not be open to misuse.

Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Ganieve Kaur said she had stayed away from the Assembly on the day the Bill was passed because the Akal Takht had earlier advised that the legislation should first be discussed with the Takht and the SGPC. She also said the atmosphere in the Assembly was not respectful towards her.

Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira further sharpened the debate by accusing the government of pushing the legislation through in secrecy and without adequate consultation. He questioned why the SGPC had not been consulted and warned that provisions for a central register of saroops and unique identification numbers could expose private homes and gurdwaras to unnecessary scrutiny.

When AAP ministers Harpal Singh Cheema and Gurmeet Singh Khudian objected to some of his remarks, the exchange grew heated before the Jathedar intervened and directed all participants to maintain decorum.

Towards the end of the meeting, the Jathedar was informed by his staff that several media channels had stopped the live telecast, allegedly on government instructions. He asked the ministers to ensure that the coverage resumed and also requested Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan to immediately make a call to facilitate the restoration of the live broadcast.

Throughout the proceedings, the Jathedar sought to maintain a cordial atmosphere despite the pointed exchanges. The MLAs eventually raised their hands in support of making further amendments as sought by the Akal Takht. The Jathedar gave the Punjab government one month to incorporate the changes.

He said the purpose of the exercise was not to embarrass anyone but to safeguard the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib while addressing concerns relating to religious terminology, custodianship and the Sikh code of conduct.