Punjab Fortifies Sacrilege Law: Stricter Penalties for Religious Offenses

The Punjab Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann, announced on Saturday an initiative to strengthen the state's sacrilege laws. Under the new proposal, individuals committing sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib could face up to life imprisonment.

A special session of the Vidhan Sabha is scheduled for April 13 to amend the Jagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2008, ensuring more stringent penalties for such offenses. This decision underscores the current government's zero-tolerance policy toward religious sacrilege.

Mann criticized the previous Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) administration for its handling of sacrilege incidents, asserting that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government intends to deliver justice by enacting decisive legal reforms. He emphasized the significance of amending the law on Baisakhi, pledging strict action against future offenses.