Punjab to Hold Special Assembly Session on April 13 to Pass Historic Anti-Sacrilege Law
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann vows zero tolerance as government prepares sweeping legislation covering digital offences, property seizure and stringent penalties — all in consultation with Sant Samaj
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced on Saturday that a special session of the Vidhan Sabha will be convened on April 13 — the occasion of Khalsa Sajna Diwas — to pass a landmark law against ‘beadbi’, or sacrilege of religious scriptures.
The announcement came during a meeting with members of the Sant Samaj and religious leaders in Amritsar, where the Chief Minister outlined plans to amend the existing Jagt Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2008, replacing it with a far stronger and more comprehensive piece of legislation.
The proposed law will introduce stringent punishments, heavy fines, and confiscation of the accused’s property. Crucially, it will also extend to offences committed through digital content — a significant step that brings the law in line with modern forms of desecration. The draft is being prepared with input from the Sant Samaj, legal experts, and eminent lawyers from across the country.
“No one guilty of ‘beadbi’ will be spared,” Mann declared, reinforcing his government’s zero-tolerance position.
Religious leaders at the meeting called for pending sacrilege cases to be fast-tracked and expressed appreciation for the AAP-led government’s recent initiatives, including events marking the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji and the granting of holy city status to Sri Amritsar Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib, and Talwandi Sabo.
The Chief Minister also announced that Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and MLA Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar will travel to Samana to personally invite protester Gurjeet Singh Khalsa to attend the special session. All religious groups — including Taksals, Nihang Singhs, Udasi and Nirmala sects, Kar Seva groups, Ragis, and Kathavachaks — have been invited to witness the passage of what the government is calling a historic law.
The session is expected to mark a defining moment for religious freedom and legal accountability in Punjab.
