Baba Bakala Sahib- The present government of the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab passed the “Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026” in the Punjab Legislative Assembly on April 13, 2026, and it received formal assent from the Hon’ble Governor of Punjab on April 17, 2026.
Serious concerns have arisen within the Sikh community regarding this legal amendment. Respected Panthic personalities, Sikh scholars, legal experts, organizations, Singh Sabhas, and members of the Sikh Sangat registered strong objections with Sri Akal Takht Sahib. On May 11, 2026, Sri Akal Takht Sahib sent these objections to the Punjab Government through Punjab Assembly Speaker S. Kultar Singh, asking for the removal of objectionable provisions from the amendment. However, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has repeatedly adopted a rigid attitude on the matter, which has further increased resentment among the Sikh community.
Before passing this amendment, the Punjab Government deliberately and completely ignored Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). No consultation or consensus was sought from these central Sikh institutions. The government also failed to make the draft amendment public before its passage and did not invite objections from the Sikh community, which constitutes a serious violation of the basic principles of legislative process and democratic consultation.
This gathering expresses deep concern that certain provisions of the Act create the possibility of including Granthis, Akhand Pathis, devotees, and other religious volunteers serving in Gurdwaras as potential accused parties in incidents of sacrilege. This not only undermines the dignity and honour of those serving in Guru’s house but also opens the door to unnecessary interference in Sikh religious affairs and institutions.
The Panthic gathering further clarifies that incidents of disrespect toward Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji are extremely painful and intolerable for the entire Sikh community. The Khalsa Panth has always demanded the strictest punishment for those responsible for sacrilege and effective measures to prevent such incidents. However, under the pretext of preventing sacrilege, any attack on or interference in Sikh religious code, Panthic traditions, and religious autonomy is unacceptable to the Sikh community under any circumstances.
Sikhs agree that individuals guilty of desecrating Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Gurbani Gutka Sahibs, Sanchis, or Pothis should receive severe punishment. However, the government has inserted certain objectionable provisions in the amendment which, instead of focusing primarily on those responsible for sacrilege, are directed toward serving Sikh groups such as Gurdwara committees, Granthis, volunteers, Pathi Singhs, preachers, and the Sikh Sangat. This law constitutes direct interference in the internal religious affairs of Sikhs.
Throughout the world, according to Sikh principles, the authority to address violations by Sikhs of religious discipline and code of conduct rests solely with Sri Akal Takht Sahib. Through this amendment, the government has also interfered in the jurisdiction of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the Guru Khalsa Panth, something Sikhs can never accept. Any law intended to punish those guilty of sacrilege should be focused on the offenders themselves, not on Sikh service groups.
Therefore, this Panthic Conference strongly asks the Punjab Government to completely remove the objectionable provisions from the amendment. A law should be enacted that does not place Sikh institutions and Sewadar groups under government control and that, keeping past sacrilege incidents in mind, ensures strict punishment for the guilty.
Regarding past sacrilege incidents in Punjab, especially the 2015 Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala cases, the names of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim and his follower Honeypreet came to light. However, the state government has yet to arrest and bring them to Punjab, and the Punjab Government’s consent regarding the handling of these cases in the Supreme Court raises serious questions. This issue was about delivering justice to Sikhs in past sacrilege cases, but the present government, through this legal amendment, has attempted to divert Sikh attention away from the real issue and create a pathway for increased government interference in Sikh institutions—something the Sikh community fully understands.
Punjab is a border state where the majority of the country's Sikhs reside. Government interference in Sikh religious matters without the consent of Sikhs will create a sense of otherness among them. Such laws will further deepen this feeling of otherness, which is a matter of serious concern for peace and law and order in the region.
This large Panthic Conference, held today, May 31, 2026, at Gurdwara Sahib Patshahi Ninth, Baba Bakala Sahib, believes that the above sentiments of the entire Guru Khalsa Panth should be conveyed through the SGPC to the President of India, the Prime Minister, and the Home Minister. Since the media is the fourth pillar of democracy, these sentiments should also be communicated to the editors of all major newspapers and media organizations across India.
If the government does not begin the process of removing the objectionable amendments, the gathering authorizes the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib to take further decisions, in consultation with the Khalsa Panth, and to act firmly as deemed necessary.