All Sikh Cabinet ministers and MLAs from Punjab appeared before Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the highest temporal seat of Sikhism, on Monday (June 29) in connection with the state's anti-sacrilege law. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, on June 15, had summoned all Sikh MLAs, regardless of party affiliation, and the Sikh ministers before the Akal Takht.
Non-Sikh cabinet ministers were asked to submit their views in writing on the matter, whereas Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was not summoned.
Akal Takht directs govt to address objections law within one month
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj directed the Punjab government to address objections concerning the anti-sacrilege law within a month. He passed this direction at a gathering of all Sikh MLAs and Cabinet ministers of Punjab after being summoned by Akal Takht in Amritsar.
Addressing the MLAs at Akal Takht, Gargajj asked the state government to address their objections within one month by bringing suitable amendments to the law, and urged it not to interfere in religious affairs.
Gargajj also handed over a list of objections to the MLAs, including one regarding the replacement of the word 'Bir' with 'saroop' (a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib).
The Jathedar told the MLAs and ministers that the Vidhan Sabha had no right to decide on the Sikh language, and asserted that only Akal Takht could take a call on the matter.
He also pointed to certain provisions of the law to which the Akal Takht had objections. He, however, stated that he had no objection to punishing those who are guilty of desecrating the Guru Granth Sahib.
List of Sikh MLAs and ministers
A total of 29 MLAs and nine ministers from the Punjab government appeared before the Sri Akal Takht. Of the 29 MLAs, seven are from Congress, two Shiromani Akali Dal, and one is Independent.
Punjab Cabinet Ministers
- Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema
- Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian
- Health Minister Balbir Singh
- Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains
- Public Works Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO
- Revenue Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian
- Women and Child Development Minister Baljit Kaur
- Rural Development Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond
- NRI Affairs Minister Ravjot Singh
Punjab Sikh MLAs
- Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan
AAP MLAs
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will be represented by several Sikh MLAs
- Kulwant Singh
- Jeevan Singh Sangowal
- Manwinder Singh Giaspura
- Saravjit Kaur Manuke
- Devinderjeet Singh Laddi
- Fauja Singh Sarari
- Narinder Pal Singh Sawna
- Amandeep Singh
- Jagdeep Singh
- Gurditt Singh
- Amlok Singh
- Balkar Sidhu
- Jagrup Gill
- Baljinder Kaur
- Amansher Singh Shery Kalsi
- Amarpal Singh
- Gurdeep Singh
- Kuldeep Dhaliwal
- Jasbir Singh
- Jeevan Jyot Kaur
- Jaswinder Singh
- Sarwan Singh Dhun
- Dalbir Singh
- Inderbir Singh Nijjar
- Manjit Singh Bilaspur
- Ranbir Singh Bhullar
- Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon
- Jagseer Singh Maisrakhana
- Manjinder Singh Lalpura
Congress MLAs
- Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa
- Barindermeet Singh Pahra
- Rana Gurjit Singh
- Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa
- Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria
- Sukhpal Singh Khaira
- Balwinder Singh
SAD/Independent MLAs
- Ganieve Kaur Majithia
- Manpreet Singh Ayali
- Independent MLA Rana Inder Pratap Singh
About the anti-sacrilege bill
The law in question, the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed by the Punjab Assembly on April 13 and received the Governor's assent within days.
Amending the 2008 Principal Act, the new law provides for a term that may extend to life imprisonment for criminal conspiracy in an offence of sacrilege of the Saroop(s) of Guru Granth Sahib with the intention to disrupt peace or communal harmony, and a fine between Rs 5 and 20 lakh.
For an offence in the Act, except the offence of sacrilege, the perpetrator shall be punished with imprisonment for a term, which may extend to five years and with a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh.
The main objective of the legislation was to provide for the punishment of life imprisonment for acts of sacrilege.
The law also asks the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to maintain a Central Register containing details with regard to the record of printing, storage, distribution, and supply of the Saroops of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The register shall contain a unique identification number of each Saroop, date of printing and publication, date and place of supply, place of storage and the name and address of the custodian.
Defining the duties of a custodian, it asks them to ensure safe custody, protection from damage, misuse, or loss in any manner and observance of Sikh Rehat Maryada; and immediate reporting of any incident involving damage, disappearance, or suspected sacrilege to the concerned police and management authorities.
According to the amendment, published in Gazette on April 12, 2026, "sacrilege of the Saroop(s) of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib" for the purposes of this Act means any wilful and deliberate act, committed with the intent of desecration by way of physical damaging, defacing, burning, tearing or theft of the Saroop(s) of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib or part thereof, or by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or through electronic means or otherwise, which is of such a nature as to hurt the religious feelings of persons professing the Sikh faith.
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