A day after Akal Takht Acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj directed the Punjab Government to remove “objectionable” provisions from the anti-sacrilege law within a month, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday strongly defended the legislation, asserting that those guilty of sacrilege deserved the harshest punishment.
Mann said the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act would deal sternly with those committing sacrilege.
The Jathedar had issued directions to the Mann government through Sikh ministers and MLAs who, upon being summoned, appeared before the high priests at the Akal Takht secretariat in Amritsar on Monday. As many as 87 MLAs, including 69 from the ruling AAP, 15 Congress (non-Hindu MLAs Aruna Chaudhary and Naresh Puri were also there), two from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and one Independent, attended the meeting.
Addressing a massive gathering during his ‘Lok Milni’ programme at Mehal Kalan village in Barnala district, the Chief Minister did not refer to the Akal Takht, but targeted the SAD while defending the law.
“Punjab people kept voting for the ‘takkdi’ (scales, the SAD election symbol), believing it represented Baba Nanak. Yet, sacrilege incidents kept occurring. Now, we have made a law and they say they don’t like it. Tell me what’s wrong with it? Have I shielded anyone? I have simply said whoever commits sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib should remain in jail until their last breath. The law provides for life imprisonment, a fine of Rs 50 lakh and even bars meeting with family members. Such a person will rot in jail alone,” he said.
Mann also accused his political opponents of trying to defame him on religious grounds by circulating “fabricated” videos on social media. “Fake and doctored videos are being used to mislead people. I am not worried by such campaigns as long as I enjoy public support,” he said.
During his address, the Chief Minister also announced that the ‘Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana’ would be launched from his Dhuri Assembly constituency in Sangrur district on Wednesday. In a lighter vein, he told women in the audience that the scheme could well have been named the ‘Mawan Dhiyan Suit Yojana’, as they would no longer need to ask the men in their families for money for this purpose.
Mann also targeted his political opponents, taking potshots at SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, senior party leader Bikram Singh Majithia, state BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon and state Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.
Later, Mann handed over a cheque of Rs 51 lakh to the village panchayat for development works. Sangrur MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Cabinet Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal and Mehal Kalan MLA Kulwant Singh Pandori were among those present on the stage. Punjabi actor Parmjeet Singh Sohi, popularly known as Sardar Sohi, was sitting among the audience.
Meanwhile, the police and civil administration remained on their toes for the programme as farmer organisations and activists staged protests against the Chief Minister and his government. Several protesters were detained on Monday, while more were taken into preventive custody on Tuesday. Protesters also blocked roads at some places ahead of the programme.
