Chandigarh, May 14: The Global Sikh Council (GSC) has formally approached the acting Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, seeking urgent sovereign intervention regarding the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026. In a letter also forwarded to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the international body affirmed that while strict punishment for sacrilege is necessary, the current legislation contains critical flaws that could lead to unconstitutional interference in religious affairs.
Council president Dr. Kanwaljit Kaur stated that the Act inadvertently empowers police officials to interpret the Sikh Rehat Maryada during the registration of cases. The GSC maintained that such interpretations belong exclusively to the domain of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and that the current legal framework could lead to the harassment of Sikh custodians. Dr. Kaur affirmed that making granthis, sewadars, and families criminally vulnerable alongside actual perpetrators may create a climate of fear, discouraging the tradition of maintaining Parkash in private homes.
The Council also flagged the lack of maryada-compliant protocols for handling desecrated ‘Saroops’ when kept as case property in police custody. The GSC asserted that the absence of fast-track courts and legal protections for those defending the Guru during sacrilege incidents remains a major concern. The letter urged the state government to initiate a consultative process involving Sikh scholars and constitutional experts to frame comprehensive amendments that safeguard the sentiments of the global Sikh community.
