Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, the deputy chief minister of Punjab, wrote to the Centre on Monday, requesting presidential assent for two bills passed by the state assembly in 2018 to ensure harsh punishment for anyone engaged in sacrilege events. Randhawa wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to approve the Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018, and the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018. Both of which call for life imprisonment if someone sacrileges a sacred text. In the letter, Randhawa, who holds the home portfolio, wrote, “I want to bring to your notice that sacrilege of holy books is becoming a major issue in Punjab.”Shri Guru Granth Sahib is considered a living Guru and not an object by the Sikhs, and it is accorded respect according to Sikh Maryada. In this context, it was felt that the existing provisions of Section 295 and 295-A of the Indian Penal Code-1860, which provide for a punishment of up to three years, are inadequate to deal with this situation,” he said.
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“So, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha passed the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018 and The Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2018 which provide for punishment up to life imprisonment for whoever causing injury, damage or sacrilege to the Shri Guru Granth Sahib, Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Holy Quran and Holy Bible with the intention to hurt religious feelings of people,” he penned. Randhawa stated that the Punjab governor approved these bills in September 2018. However, he stated that there had been awaiting the President’s signature since October of 2018. “Punjab being a border state, it is extremely necessary to maintain communal harmony here. For this, deterrent punishment is a must for those trying to disturb communal harmony by indulging in the sacrileges. So, I again request that the Presidential assent for the said Bills may kindly be obtained and conveyed to the state government at the earliest possible,” he wrote. Two unidentified individuals were beaten to death at the Golden Temple in Amritsar and at a gurdwara in Kapurthala district for their alleged sacrilege efforts.
