Chandigarh, April 19: The Punjab government has officially enacted the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Amendment Bill following the assent of the Governor, establishing life imprisonment as the punishment for the desecration of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated on Sunday that the new law represents a decisive move to uphold religious sanctity and resolve long-standing issues regarding communal harmony.
During a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Cheema affirmed that the legislation is designed to be watertight, targeting both the physical perpetrators and the conspirators behind such acts. He noted that previous administrations failed to deliver justice in historical cases, such as the 1986 Nakodar incident and the 2015 Bargari case, due to missing evidence and stalled investigations.
The Bhagwant Mann government has worked tirelessly to accelerate investigations that remained stalled for decades, Cheema declared. He maintained that for the first time, high-profile figures are being held accountable, signaling that political stature will no longer provide protection from legal consequences.
The Minister also stated that the law introduces a new layer of accountability for guardians. Under the new provisions, if an individual under care commits an act of sacrilege, the custodian may be held liable for negligence. Cheema affirmed that this measure is intended to prevent the common use of “mental instability” as a legal defense to evade prosecution.
