Criticism of the Mann Government for not implementing the Anand Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2012 passed by the Modi Government in Punjab.
Amritsar, ( Justice news)
Reacting to the announcement by the Bhagwant Mann government to convene a special session of the Punjab Assembly to bring a strict law to punish sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and other holy scriptures, BJP state spokesperson and Sikh thinker Prof. Sarchand Singh Khiala said, “If this session is an honest effort to create an effective legal framework to prevent sacrilege and protect the religious sentiments and faith of the people, then the step is welcome. But before that, the people of Punjab deserve to know — from 2015 to 2025, under existing laws like IPC Sections 295, 295A, and 153A (which prescribe 2–3 years imprisonment and fines), how many of the over 300 registered cases have actually resulted in convictions under the Mann government?
If the answer is unknown or limited to just 8–10 minor cases, then how can we believe that the proposed law with harsher penalties is being introduced with honest intent? Is this not a political and electoral stunt by the Aam Aadmi Party? Is this not an attempt to play on religious and emotional sentiments? Is this not a distraction from the government’s failures on every front and the mounting debt of ₹4 lakh crore?”
Prof. Sarchand Singh further questioned the recent interest shown by the “Kejriwal Ad Company” in Sikh religious matters and expressed surprise. He asked, “If Arvind Kejriwal is truly concerned about Sikh issues, why has his government still not implemented the Anand Karaj Act in Punjab — the core Sikh marriage law that the Central Government passed through the Anand Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2012, giving legal recognition to Sikh marriages nationwide? This law has already been adopted by over 12 states.”
Prof. Khiala stated, “On sensitive matters like the sacrilege of holy scriptures, we must learn from history. Merely passing a bill is not enough — what is required is sincerity, moral clarity, strong political will, and true faith in religion — all of which have been sorely lacking in the Mann government.”
Exposing the dishonesty of the AAP government, Prof. Sarchand Singh reminded that before the Assembly elections, Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann had promised justice in sacrilege cases and even brought in police officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh — known for his investigation in such cases — as the party’s brand ambassador.
Now the same MLA, who was recently expelled from the party, has openly exposed the “Kejriwal Ad Company” and demanded CM Mann’s resignation, stating that “The government has shaken hands with the guilty. The people have been deceived. There is no hope left in this government. Now the final verdict will be in the court of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.”
He added that till date, no major accused in the Bargari sacrilege case, Behbal Kalan firing, or Kotkapura firing incidents has been legally punished. He also pointed out that AAP MLA Naresh Yadav was sentenced to two years in jail by a local court in 2016 for desecration of the Holy Quran in Malerkotla.
He said the Sikh and Punjabi community is fully vigilant and aware. What the people of Punjab truly need is justice — not false and politically motivated sympathy. But so far, the Kejriwal company has only played with the trust of the Sikh community.
Prof. Khiala stressed that this new law must apply to all religions to truly uphold religious tolerance and faith in India. He reminded that even during the Akali-BJP government in 2016 and Captain Amarinder Singh’s Congress government in 2018, similar bills with harsh penalties were passed.
He further remarked that such bills raise serious concerns about Article 19 of the Constitution — which ensures freedom of speech and expression — and about the secular character of the Constitution itself. The concept of secularism was inserted during the Emergency by Indira Gandhi’s government via the 42nd Constitutional Amendment in 1975. Today, there is a need for a national debate on this issue.
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