Akal Takht asks Punjab to take back sacrilege law

In a significant move, the Akal Takht has officially declared its opposition to Punjab's recently enacted sacrilege law, issuing a stern ultimatum to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. The highest temporal seat of Sikhism demands the removal of objectionable clauses from the law within 15 days, warning of further action if its demands are not met. The law, which prescribes life imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹25 lakh for 'beadbi' (sacrilege) against the Guru Granth Sahib, has been met with strong reservations from religious authorities. A key point of contention is the requirement for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to upload religious records to a government-monitored website. The Akal Takht asserts that such matters are exclusively within the purview of the Panth (Sikh community) and cannot be subject to state oversight. This stance highlights a deep-seated concern within the Sikh community regarding the state's role in religious affairs and the protection of sacred texts. The situation is further complicated by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's 'Shukrana Yatra,' which the Akal Takht has deemed an affront to Sikh traditions, emphasizing that temporal authorities cannot claim dominion over faith matters without community consensus. The Akal Takht has offered to provide a panel of Sikh legal experts to help build consensus on a revised law, signaling a willingness to engage constructively while firmly defending religious autonomy.

“

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) will not comply with the Act’s requirement to upload records of Guru Granth Sahib “saroops (scriptures)” to a government-monitored website. Religious records and the management of the living Guru’s sanctity remain the exclusive domain of the Panth (Sikh community) and cannot be subjected to state-mandated digital surveillance.