Sikh Intellectuals, Activists, Legal Experts oppose Anti-Sacrilege laws, demand complete withdrawal
By Prabh Sidhu
Kotkapura (Punjab), May 18, 2026: Sikh legal experts, intellectuals and Panthic activists, under the leadership of Sri Guru Singh Sabha Kotkapura, strongly opposed the proposed Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026 during a gathering held on Sunday and demanded that the legislation be withdrawn instead of implemented.
The congregation, organised by Sikh awareness groups and attended by several Panthic representatives, maintained that no secular government has the authority to legislate on matters related to the sanctity, maryada and reverence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Speakers argued that issues concerning Sikh religious traditions and sacrilege should remain within the jurisdiction of the Sikh Panth and not be governed through state legislation.
Addressing the media, representatives associated with Sikh organisations and legal awareness groups said the sanctity of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is not a subject of state control, democratic policy or legal interpretation, but a matter deeply connected with the religious, spiritual and cultural identity of Sikhs.
The speakers clarified that their opposition was not limited to the amended legislation proposed by the Aam Aadmi Party government, but also extended to the 2008 sacrilege-related legislation brought during the Shiromani Akali Dal government. They stated that Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji cannot be brought under any legal framework and therefore both the old and the newly proposed laws should be scrapped.
The gathering also questioned the Punjab government’s moral authority to introduce such legislation, citing the failure to ensure justice in the Kotkapura and Bargari sacrilege cases. Speakers said that after failing to punish those accused in sacrilege incidents, the government has lost the ethical ground to frame new laws on the issue.
Panthic representatives further stated that the Sikh community must strengthen its own internal mechanisms for vigilance, accountability and religious discipline instead of depending on government intervention. They also alleged that previous legislation had opened the door for state interference in Panthic affairs.
Questions were also raised over the role of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, with speakers saying its mandate is limited to gurdwara management and maintenance, and should not extend beyond that scope.
Among those who addressed the press conference were Bhai Ashok Singh Bagrian, Jaswinder Nihal Singh, senior advocate Puran Singh Hundal, Justice(Rtd) Nirmal Singh, Bhai Amarjit Singh Bajwa, Kushhal Singh., Paramjit Singh Baji, Prof. Gurtej Singh, Davinder Singh, journalist Jaspal Singh Sidhu and Gurpreet Singh.
The gathering also appealed to acting Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj to seek complete withdrawal of the proposed Act instead of allowing its implementation on the Sikh community.