To curb incidents of sacrilege against religious scriptures in Punjab, the *Guru Granth Sahib Satar Act, 2008* has been amended to make it even more stringent. This bill, which was passed by the Punjab Legislative Assembly on April 13, has now officially become law following the Governor’s assent.
Speaking to the media regarding this development, former Jathedar Giani Raghubir Singh stated that this legislation marks a significant step toward curbing the long-standing issue of sacrilege. He noted that since 2015, approximately 600 cases of sacrilege have come to light—incidents in which the Guru was desecrated in a derogatory manner, including through digital mediums.
Under the new law, a punishment of life imprisonment has been prescribed for the accused; this means that the offender will remain incarcerated for the remainder of their natural life. Furthermore, any attempt by an individual to evade punishment by claiming to be mentally ill or suffering from depression has now been effectively blocked. In cases where sacrilege is committed by minors, their parents or guardians will be held accountable. The enactment of this law has sparked a wave of jubilation within the Sikh community.
Giani Raghubir Singh emphasized that religious matters must be placed above politics, and that all political parties should unite to work toward upholding the honor of the *Guru Granth Sahib*. He also appealed to the Central Government and other states to implement similar stringent laws across the entire country, thereby ensuring that the holy scriptures of any religion are never subjected to sacrilege.
