Samana-Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib and Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, visited Samana in Patiala district to support a protest demanding a strict law to prevent sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib.
On the occasion, he also offered an Ardas (prayer) for the success and high spirit of the ongoing protest. He said that the Guru Granth Sahib is the eternal living Guru of the Sikhs, and therefore every Sikh holds deep reverence and devotion towards it.
Expressing support for the demand raised by Bhai Gurjit Singh, who has been leading the protest in Samana, the Jathedar said that a special law must be enacted to prevent sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib, and those found guilty should receive the strictest possible punishment.
He noted that incidents of sacrilege in Punjab have continued for a long time and have not stopped. Therefore, he said two measures are essential: first, community-based vigilance arrangements in gurdwaras at all times, and second, the enactment of a special law to curb sacrilege incidents. He added that the government had sought six months’ timefrom the protestors to frame a strict law, but nearly eight months have passed and no action has been taken so far.
Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj also referred to the 2022 sacrilege attempt at Sachkhand Sri Darbar Sahib, when a man jumped over the barrier during the recitation of Rehras Sahib and attempted an act of sacrilege. He said that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had demanded a DNA test of the accused from the government to establish his identity, but even by 2026 no government has been able to reveal who that person was. If the government took such incidents seriously, he said, cases of sacrilege could be prevented.
He further stated that since the beginning of the wave of sacrilege incidents, the forces behind these acts must be exposed. He added that the Guru Granth Sahib is the only scripture in the world that has been bestowed with the status of a living Guru. He mentioned that the Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act was passed in 2008 and that in 2016 and later, governments had taken steps regarding sacrilege cases and forwarded the matter to the Central Government, but no concrete outcome followed. The current government had also promised a special law but has yet to fulfill that commitment.
Speaking about the deteriorating health of Bhai Gurjit Singh, the Jathedar said that the health of every citizen is the responsibility of the government. Since the Punjab Assembly session is currently underway, he urged the government to pass a resolution and enact a special law to prevent sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Replying to a question, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said that all religious scriptures deserve complete respect, and if laws are made to prevent sacrilege of any scripture it is a positive step. However, he stressed that a specific law should be enacted for the Guru Granth Sahib.