Passage of bill AAP’s ‘election stunt’: SAD

Amritsar: Reacting to the bill introduced by the Punjab govt during a special session of the legislative assembly to curb incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami said the Sikh community has long been demanding decisive action on this sensitive issue, but no outcome in line with its sentiments has emerged so far.Dhami described the passage of the bill as a positive step, but asserted that mere legislation is not sufficient. "The real challenge lies in its effective implementation," he said.Emphasising that community sentiments must take precedence over politics in such matters, Dhami said that similar legislative processes were already completed twice under previous govts. "What is crucial now is securing the necessary approvals so that the law can be enforced in letter and spirit," he added.Raising another concern, Dhami urged the govt to take serious note of the misuse of artificial intelligence on social media platforms, which he said is increasingly being used to hurt Sikh sentiments and disrespect sacred Gurbani and gurdwaras. He pointed out that sacrilege is a multi-layered issue that needs to be understood in a broader context, adding that the rising trend of such incidents online is deeply disturbing.Referring to a recent incident, Dhami said an AI-generated video depicting sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib went viral. While the SGPC managed to get the content removed from several platforms, he termed the govt's response as disappointing. He called for strict and proactive measures to curb such acts and prevent any attempt to hurt religious sentiments.Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former MLA from Khadoor Sahib Ravinder Singh Brahmpura termed the new amendment bill on sacrilege passed in the Punjab Assembly as an attempt by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) govt to cover up its administrative failures and a mere "election stunt".In a statement issued here on Monday, Brahmpura said that while the Shiromani Akali Dal fully supports the enactment of the strictest possible laws in cases of sacrilege, the govt must not hide its failures behind legislation and should present the ground reality before the people of Punjab.On the other hand, while welcoming the ‘Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026' passed in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, All India Sikh Students Federation patron Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad, who is also Senior Vice President of Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjeet), described it as a victory of the long-standing sentiments of the Sikh community.In a statement issued to the media, Peer Mohammad said, "Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is not merely a book for Sikhs, but the living ‘Jagat Jyot' Guru. Unfortunate incidents of sacrilege have always deeply hurt Sikh sentiments, and due to legal leniency in the past, the accused often escaped punishment." He expressed hope that the new law will serve as a strong deterrent and a lesson for such offenders.
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