Bhagwant Mann appeals to all state govts to enact strict anti-sacrilege laws

Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said Punjab had shown the entire country the path to protecting the honour of the Gurus by enacting the strictest law against sacrilege and appealed to all state govts to bring in similar laws.After paying obeisance at Patna Sahib, Mann said Punjab was ready to extend every possible help in this regard. Calling sacrilege an unforgivable crime against faith, he said that with the new law coming into force, anyone daring to commit beadbi of Guru Granth Sahib in Punjab would now have to spend their entire life in jail.Sharing a few snippets on X, Mann said: "Today, I had the privilege of paying obeisance at Takht Sri Harimandir Ji, Patna Sahib, the sacred birthplace and land blessed by the holy footsteps of the Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. I bowed before the Guru and offered prayers for the prosperity, well-being and ever-rising spirit of Punjab, Punjabis and the entire Sikh sangat. I also expressed my heartfelt gratitude to the Guru Sahib for blessing us with the opportunity to uphold the sanctity of the holy Shabad Guru by enacting a strict law against beadbi. May Guru Sahib continue to shower His immense blessings upon everyone."The Punjab assembly recently enacted a stricter anti-sacrilege legal framework through the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which received the Punjab governor's assent. Aimed at establishing a robust deterrence framework to preserve communal harmony, the amended law targets the beadbi (desecration) of Guru Granth Sahib.