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Indian Express
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Punjab considering law with death penalty for sacrilege, to convene special Assembly session
The Punjab government is attempting to bring in a legislation providing for stricter punishment against crimes of sacrilege, and is exploring legal options for a provision of death penalty for those found guilty. 'We will be convening a special session of Vidhan Sabha on July 10 and 11 to bring a historic legislation for stricter punishment against those found guilty of sacrilege. The Centre should have done it. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is bringing it in Punjab as it understands the emotions of the people of the state,' AAP spokesperson Neel Garg said on Saturday. Sacrilege and the need for tougher legislation has been an emotive issue in the state. In October 2015, during the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government's term, an incident of sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib in Bargari had changed the political narrative in the state, delivering a blow to the Akali Dal from which it has been struggling to recover. Almost every government since then has attempted to bring in legislation providing for stricter punishment for sacrilege. Sources said such a legislation will require a state-specific amendment to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had earlier highlighted that while the BNS has clear provisions regarding religious places, it remains silent on Sikh holy granths. However, he said, since the subject falls under the concurrent list, the state has the authority to enact such a legislation, and that legal opinion would be sought accordingly. Mann had said that this process would be completed shortly and that a Cabinet meeting would be convened soon. A source in the ruling AAP government told The Indian Express, 'We are bringing in a legislation. We are seeking a legal opinion on whether the death penalty is legally tenable. The Chief Minister, in his public addresses, has advocated death penalty for these crimes several times. The government is now taking a legal opinion on whether this can be done. Otherwise, we will go ahead with life sentence as punishment.' AAP will be the third successive government to bring a legislation against sacrilege. The move comes seven years after former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's Congress government passed two Bills providing for stricter punishment against crimes of sacrilege but could not get the President's assent. During the Congress regime, the Punjab Assembly had in 2018 passed The Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018 and The Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2018, which stipulated punishment up to life imprisonment for injury, damage or sacrilege to Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagwat Gita, Holy Quran and Holy Bible with the intention to hurt the religious feelings of the people. The Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018, sought to amend the IPC by inserting Section 295AA. Under the existing Section 295 A, a convict is subjected to punishment for a maximum of three years imprisonment with or without fine. It also sought to enhance the punishment under Section 295 IPC (Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) from two to ten years of imprisonment. Sources said the Centre recently returned the sacrilege Bills passed by the Amarinder government in 2018, asking it to legislate afresh keeping in view the provisions of the BNS. The two Bills were about insertions in the provisions in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and The Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Earlier, in March 2016, the then SAD-BJP government had brought in The Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016, and The Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016, recommending life sentence for desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib. The Centre had returned the Bill saying all religions needed to be treated equally as per the secular nature of the Constitution. It asked the Punjab government to either withdraw the Bill or include all religions in the proposed amendment. Later, in August 2018, the Amarinder government passed the two Bills by including the holy scriptures of all faiths. In 2022, CM Mann had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking Presidential assent to the two Bills passed seven years ago. The government's decision to bring a new legislation with provisions for death penalty stems from political and public demands for harsher punishments for sacrilege. Among the protesters is Gurjeet Singh Khalsa who has been protesting atop a BSNL tower in Samana, Patiala, since October 2024. He has been demanding the death penalty for those found guilty of sacrilege. It is learnt that the Chief Secretary KAP Sinha had briefed CM Mann about the protester, stating that if something happened to him, it could create a law and order situation since sacrilege was an emotive issue. Last week, CM Mann had met representatives of the Sarb Dharam Beadbi Rokko Kanoon Morcha, one of the outfits seeking stricter punishment for sacrilege, and promised them that the state government would introduce legislation against such acts. after the meeting, the Chief Minister had stated that the government would consult legal experts to ensure that a robust state legislation is enacted, and explore the possibility of capital punishment for such crimes. While the CM has been calling for capital punishment for sacrilege, a few leaders in the party are of the view that death penalty would be too harsh and may be not be legally tenable.
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
AAP hits back at Sukhbir over power tariff claims
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday refuted the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal's claim regarding power tariffs and industrial policies in Punjab, claiming that their government in the state was cleaning the mess it inherited. AAP senior spokesperson Neel Garg, while blaming the SAD-BJP regime's abysmal track record, alleged that they left behind a legacy of corruption, inefficiency and debt. 'We inherited this mess and have worked tirelessly to clean it up. The day tariff, which Sukhbir is lamenting about, was introduced in 2017 during the Congress government, not under the present administration,' he said in a statement. According to Garg, under the SAD-BJP regime, industries were charged ₹8.75 per unit (inclusive of charges), endured frequent unscheduled power cuts, and faced rampant corruption. He said that in stark contrast, the AAP government prioritised affordable power, no power cuts, transparent governance, free electricity to the farmers, schools, hospitals and employment. 'Over 90% of small industries now benefit from subsidized electricity. Power cuts are rare and always announced in advance. Free and uninterrupted electricity for farmers has been ensured, benefitting Punjab's agrarian economy,' he claimed, dismissing Badal's allegations as baseless.
Hindustan Times
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Clarify BJP's stance on CISF deployment at Nangal dam, AAP tells Jakhar
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab on Sunday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Sunil Jakhar to clarify his party's stance on the central government's decision to deploy the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) project at Nangal. In a statement, AAP spokesperson Neel Garg claimed that during the all-party meeting led by chief minister Bhagwant Mann on the water issue, Jakhar stood with the Punjab government and assured every possible support, but his party's media in-charge was now supporting the decision to deploy CISF. 'This contradiction is baffling,' he said, asking Jakhar to state his position. Neel Garg said that Punjab has the rightful claim over its water, and neither the central government nor BBMB can impose their will arbitrarily. 'During previous governments, Punjab's canal system was in a dire state, primarily due to the Akali-BJP government's neglect. However, the Mann government has improved the canal water supply to over 60% of areas. Despite these efforts, Punjab is already facing a shortage of water for its farmers, making it impossible to share water with other states,' he said.
Hans India
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Panchayats in Punjab support govt's anti-drug campaign
Panchayats in Goniana block in Punjab's Bathinda district have taken a decision to support the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's anti-drug campaign, 'Yudh Nashiyan Virudh'. All sarpanches have passed a resolution, saying that drug peddlers in the villages will face collective boycott and will not receive social support of any kind. The resolution also said that the panchayats will work at their own level to identify drug peddlers, hand them over to the police, and assist in legal proceedings against them. Individuals who quit drugs will be felicitated by the panchayats and provide every possible assistance to rehabilitate into normal life. Punjab AAP leader Neel Garg praised this resolution and thanked all sarpanches. He said that any movement succeeds only when it receives public support. "Therefore, this decision is immensely significant for the campaign led by the AAP government against drugs." He said the change is coming to villages, and Punjab will soon become completely drug-free. He added that only a drug-free Punjab can secure the future of its youth and lead to societal progress. The participation of panchayats and the youth is crucial for this campaign, and it is encouraging to see them actively supporting the government, he said. Garg added that the government is making every possible effort to eradicate drugs from Punjab. "The government is targeting both demand and supply with a comprehensive 360-degree strategy." Over the past two months, thousands of drug traffickers have been arrested, and FIRs have been registered against thousands under the NDPS Act, he said. Additionally, thousands of kg of narcotics, including heroin, opium, ganja, and poppy husk, have been seized, he added. Moreover, all drug de-addiction centres have been made operational with necessary facilities to provide treatment for individuals suffering from drug addiction, he said. Garg added that the AAP government is working with sincerity, and as public participation continues to grow, this campaign will achieve unprecedented success, making Punjab a completely drug-free state.
