Anti-sacrilege law: Panthic convention at Baba Bakala on May 31
Before the Akal Takht’s 15-day deadline to the government to remove objectionable clauses from the anti-sacrilege law ends on May 23, the SGPC has convened a Panthic convention at Baba Bakala, about 40 km from here, on May 31.
Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Kuldip Singh Gargaj has already conveyed the objection to Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan when he appeared in person at the Akal Takht secretariat on May 8.
In order to mobilise Panthic bodies against Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government for ignoring their appeal before amending the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkaar (Amendment) Act-2026 and now its reluctance to withdraw some clauses from the law, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami announced that they would campaign against the new anti-sacrilege law, which was passed without consulting Sikh bodies.
Related news: Akal Takht officiating Jathedar, SGPC chief meet Punjab Governor, list objections to anti-sacrilege law
Dhami made it clear that the convention was in no way an attempt to provoke confrontation but to protect the autonomy and religious rights of Sikh institutions.
Reiterating the SGPC and Akal Takht’s stand that there was no opposition to punishing those responsible for desecration under the amended Act, he said they had objections to certain provisions and terminology relating to Sikh maryada (religious code of conduct), which they believed were against Sikh sentiments.
He said a clause of the Act calls for action against the person responsible for maintaining the saroop of Guru Granth Sahib, another directs the SGPC to upload a complete record of all saroops on its website within a month. He said these and several others clauses were already rejected by Sikh bodies. Dhami warned that failure to comply with the direction would result in Sikh bodies not accepting the law and it would elicit strict action from the Akal Takht.
Panthic bodies gathered at the SGPC headquarter had earlier asked the government to send the draft law to the SGPC for consultation before passing it in the Assembly. The Bill was passed on April 13 and Governor Gulab Chand Kataria gave the assent on April 20.
