‘Dharna to continue till gov’s assent’: Samana morcha as Sandhwan hands over copy of anti-sacrilege Bill

“We received a copy of the Bill passed by the Assembly, but it is yet to be signed by the governor. Our dharna will end once the governor-signed copy reaches the dharna spot,” Jagmail Singh, one of the members of the morcha, said.

Addressing a gathering, the Speaker said, “I came here to present a copy of the Bill to Bhai Gurjeet Singh Khalsa and the Sangat, as I had promised. I appealed to Bhai Gurjeet Singh Khalsa to come down the tower, but morcha members said Khalsa would come down the day the governor would sign the Bill.”

Khalsa has been atop a BSNL tower in a nearby park since October 14, 2024, pressing for the same demand.

Expressing his gratitude to the Sangat for their continued support, Sandhwan said, “Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has honoured his commitment by getting this historic Bill passed in the Assembly. The government will continue its efforts until the Bill receives the governor’s assent and is enacted as law.”

The Speaker, however, said there should be no doubt about the governor’s assent to the Bill, “which is thoroughly drafted without any shortcomings and more stringent than the expectations of the Sangat”.

Sandhwan assured the Sangat, “In line with the chief minister’s statement, the government is ready to approach the governor, along with all opposition parties, to ensure expeditious approval to the Bill.”

Sandhwan noted that while previous governments introduced laws on the issue, those laws had shortcomings, whereas the current legislation was framed with utmost care, leaving no scope for error.

“Laws against sacrilege existed earlier, but the new Bill is more stringent and should not be politicised. Once enacted, it will ensure strict action against those involved in heinous acts of sacrilege, with provisions, including life imprisonment and other severe penalties. The Bill will help strengthen communal harmony and national unity.”

Samana MLA Chetan Singh Jouramajra described April 13 as a “significant day” and acknowledged the important role played by the Samana tower morcha in the passage of the Bill.