Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa Monday slammed the Aam Aadmi Party government for its “careless and undemocratic approach to the deeply emotive and sensitive issue of sacrilege” by handing over the draft copy of the Bill on sacrilege to Opposition just minutes before its scheduled discussion in the Assembly. Bjawa questioned the government’s intent, saying, “This is not how serious legislative business is conducted, especially on issues that strike at the very heart of Punjab’s socio-religious fabric.” Highlighting parliamentary conventions, Bajwa pointed out that opposition parties are normally given at least 48 hours to study and understand a Bill before it is brought to the House for discussion. He accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of riding roughshod over democratic procedures and showing complete disregard for legislative norms. “It appears that Bhagwant Mann wants to bulldoze his decisions without any meaningful debate or scrutiny. This only proves that he has little regard for democratic conventions and is more interested in pleasing his political master, Arvind Kejriwal, than serving the people of Punjab,” said Bajwa. The Congress leader called it deeply unfortunate that such a grave and emotional issue as sacrilege is being reduced to a political stunt by the AAP government. He warned that such behaviour not only erodes the dignity of the Assembly but also diminishes public trust in the government’s commitment to justice. Consulted leading legal experts to draft the Bill: Mann Chief Minister Mann said that sacrilege was an emotive and critical issue that concerned every Punjabi. He emphasized that the matter has grave repercussions not only in the present but also for future generations. He said that stringent punishment for this unpardonable offence is the need of the hour to serve as a deterrent to criminals. The Chief Minister reiterated that Punjab is a sacred land of great Gurus, saints, and seers who have shown the path of mutual love and tolerance. However, he lamented that certain anti-Punjab forces have been attempting to destroy the state’s social fabric by orchestrating sacrilegious acts of holy granths since 2016. He reaffirmed the state government’s firm commitment to ensuring exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of such incidents. Mann added that the government had consulted leading legal experts to draft robust legislation that prevents offenders from evading severe consequences—including sternest punishment for such heinous crimes. Reaffirming his government’s dedication to justice, he asserted that every individual involved in these sacrilegious acts, whether directly or indirectly, would face exemplary punishment. He said it is the solemn duty of the state government to ensure that these dreaded criminals are held accountable for their actions.
