The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has announced a meeting of all Sikh organisations on April 6 at its Amritsar headquarters. The gathering will discuss the state government’s plan to amend the law concerning punishment for sacrilege of religious texts.
SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami described the matter as “extremely sensitive” following a meeting with SGPC members. He stressed the importance of forming a united ‘panthic’ viewpoint on the issue.
Representatives from a wide range of Sikh groups have been invited, including Nihang Singh groups, Damdami Taksal, Sikh institutions, scholars, judges, and lawyers. The meeting will also include members from Sikh Missionary Colleges, Singh Sabhas, Sikh federations, and leaders of various sects.
The SGPC hopes the consultation will help reach a collective opinion on the proposed changes to the law and guide future action on the matter.
Purpose behind high-stakes meeting
The Punjab government is preparing to introduce tougher laws to punish those who desecrate the Guru Granth Sahib and other religious texts. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced that a special session of the state Assembly will be held on April 13 to amend the 2008 Act, introducing stricter penalties.
The proposed legislation is expected to include heavy fines, seizure of property, and provisions to cover offences committed through digital media. Mann said the draft is being prepared in consultation with the “sant samaj” and legal experts.
SGPC President Dhami clarified on Saturday that the committee’s upcoming meeting is not intended to block the law. Instead, it will serve to offer suggestions. He said that views from all stakeholders will be collected and shared with the government.
The move comes after repeated incidents of disrespect towards Sikh religious books and sacred sites. In October 2015, Punjab experienced a major series of sacrilege cases when torn pages of the Guru Granth Sahib were discovered in villages such as Bargari and Mishriwala. The pages had been removed from a stolen copy of the holy scripture from a gurdwara in Burj Jawahar Singh Wala, Faridkot district. These events sparked widespread protests across the state, particularly in the Malwa region.
Another notable incident occurred in December 2021 at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. A young man reportedly entered the sanctum sanctorum during evening prayers and attempted to touch objects near the Guru Granth Sahib, which many saw as sacrilege. The situation escalated quickly, and the man was beaten to death by a mob of devotees and temple staff before police intervened.
