Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on Saturday constituted a 15-member select committee to hold deliberations with religious heads, institutional leaders and the public over the contentious Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scriptures Bill, 2025. The move comes days after the Assembly referred the proposed legislation—commonly known as the anti-sacrilege Bill—to the panel for further consultation on July 15.
The select committee will be chaired by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and former Local Government Minister Inderbir Singh Nijjar. The committee comprises 10 MLAs from the ruling AAP, two from the Congress, one each from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
From the Congress, senior leaders Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Balwinder Singh have been included, while BJP is represented by Jangi Lal Mahajan and SAD by Manpreet Singh Ayali. The ten AAP MLAs on the panel are Ajay Gupta, Amandeep Kaur, Inderjit Kaur Mann, Baljinder Kaur, Nina Mittal, Jagdeep Kamboj, Budh Ram, Brahm Shankar Jimpa, Madan Bagga and Mohammad Jamil-ur-Rehman.
Speaker Sandhwan announced that the committee is expected to compile feedback and recommendations within six months. The panel will seek views from stakeholders, including religious scholars, heads of religious institutions, and members of the public, to assess the implications and acceptability of the Bill before it is debated further in the Assembly.
Key Provisions of the Bill
The Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scriptures Bill, 2025 proposes severe punishments for sacrilege, including a minimum of 10 years in jail, which may extend up to life imprisonment. Offenders will also face fines ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh.
The legislation identifies sacred scriptures under its protection—Guru Granth Sahib or extracts such as Pothis and Gutka Sahib, along with the Bhagavad Gita, Quran, and Bible. Desecration or defiling of any of these texts, whether by burning, defacing, damaging or any similar act, will be treated as a cognisable and non-compoundable offence triable only in a sessions court.
Only officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) or above will be authorised to investigate such cases. Moreover, individuals found guilty of abetting such acts—whether through conspiracy, instigation or logistical support—will face imprisonment ranging from three to five years, along with a fine up to ₹3 lakh.
CM Mann: “No More Shielding of Offenders”
Reacting to the ongoing debate around the Bill, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday asserted that the proposed legislation aims to ensure “exemplary punishment” for those involved in desecration incidents. Speaking at Sehna village in Barnala district, Mann accused previous governments of shielding culprits involved in the 2015 sacrilege cases and said his administration is committed to setting a deterrent example.
“Such acts deeply wound the social and religious fabric of Punjab. We will not allow the repetition of 2015,” said Mann, underlining that the Bill is part of his government’s zero-tolerance approach to religious desecration.
Anti-Drug Drive and Library Inaugurations
Mann also used the occasion to highlight the ongoing state-wide anti-drug campaign Yudh Nashiyan De Virudh, which, he claimed, has led to the arrest of several “politically well-connected individuals who earlier considered themselves above the law.”
In addition to speaking on policy matters, the CM dedicated eight new libraries constructed at a cost of ₹2.80 crore in Barnala district. The libraries have been established in the villages of Sehna, Dhaula, Talwandi, Majhuke, Kutba, Deewana, Wajidke Kalan, and Thulliwal, as part of the state’s initiative to promote educational and cultural resources in rural Punjab.
The formation of the select committee indicates the government’s attempt to build consensus on a highly sensitive legislative proposal that deals with religious sentiments and historical grievances in the state. As the committee begins outreach and consultation, all eyes will be on how public and institutional feedback shapes the final contours of the Bill.