Why an anti-sacrilege law in India's Punjab has sparked controversy
Days after the law was passed, the Akal Takht raised objections - not to the tougher punishments, but to provisions on terminology, the registration and
Days after the law was passed, the Akal Takht raised objections - not to the tougher punishments, but to provisions on terminology, the registration and custody of physical forms of the Guru Granth Sahib, and its administration. It argued these were matters of Sikh religious practice that should be decided by Sikh institutions, not the state. It also opposed plans to assign unique identification numbers to physical copies of the Guru Granth Sahib and maintain a central register, saying such decisions should not rest with the government. The Akal Takht summoned, external the Punjab Assembly speaker on 8 May to explain why Sikh religious institutions had not been consulted before the law was enacted.
The speaker, Kultar Singh Sandhwan, from the AAP, appeared before the Akal Takht and defended the law, external, saying it was needed to protect the Guru Granth Sahib. Although the Akal Takht has no constitutional authority over elected governments, it wields immense religious influence among Sikhs. In Punjab, where religion and politics have long been intertwined, political leaders across party lines have traditionally responded to its directives on matters affecting the Sikh faith, making its views difficult for governments to ignore. The controversy has since deepened. The Akal Takht summoned Sikh ministers and legislators from across parties, including the AAP, to explain why they had backed the law. During the proceedings, Akal Takht head Kuldip Singh Gargajj asked whether they had read the legislation before voting on it.
Several lawmakers admitted they had not, saying copies of the bill were circulated only shortly before the debate, according to the PTI news agency. Calling this "serious negligence", the Akal Takht head asked the Punjab government to amend the law within a month and urged it not to implement the disputed provisions until then. The row has also become a political issue. Punjab's three main opposition parties - the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP - accuse the AAP government of rushing the law through the assembly without properly consulting Sikh religious institutions. The dispute comes at a sensitive time, with state elections due early next year, adding to the pressure on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who is also facing a separate controversy over an alleged sacrilege-related video.
Opposition parties have accused Mann of hurting Sikh sentiments over a video they claim shows him consuming alcohol and splashing it on photographs of Sikh Gurus. Mann has dismissed the video as "fabricated". He has defended the law, saying it will not be withdrawn, but has indicated the government is open to considering the Akal Takht's suggestions before deciding whether to amend it. Follow BBC News India on Instagram, external, YouTube,, external Twitter, external and Facebook, external.
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