Protester unconscious on 274th day of tower protest for anti sacrilege law in Punjab
Sarv Dharm Beadbi Roko Kanoon Morcha coordinator Gurpreet Singh stated that Khalsa's health has steadily deteriorated over the months. "We found him lying unconscious again today. His condition is alarming, yet he refuses to descend unless the law is enacted," Gurpreet Singh said.
The protest began as a one-man campaign by Khalsa, a dairy farmer from Khedi Nagaiya village on the Samana–Patran road, and has since developed into a broader interfaith movement supported by various religious leaders and civil society groups across Punjab.
In response to increasing public pressure, the Punjab govt recently prepared draft legislation titled The Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Act, 2025. The draft, finalised by a panel of legal experts in consultation with the Morcha team, was submitted to the state on July 3, 2025. While the bill awaits presentation in the Assembly and subsequent assent by the Governor, the govt has now indicated it may seek public suggestions on the proposed legislation, a move the Morcha views as a delay tactic.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription
Techno Mag
Learn More
Undo
'Neither in 2016 nor in 2018 did the govt seek public feedback when it passed resolutions and sent amendments to the Centre,' Gurpreet Singh pointed out. 'The Centre too never initiated any such process. This can easily spiral into endless discussion.'
He added that respected religious leaders from multiple faiths including Rajeshwaranand from Sanatam Dharam, Mr William from Catholic Church in Jalandhar, Shahi Imam from Ludhiana, others have already endorsed the current draft, and that the govt's own ADGP (Law & Order), who coordinated the drafting process, can confirm its authenticity and support.
Gurpreet Singh warned of serious consequences, stating, 'If anything happens to Gurjeet Singh Khalsa, this peaceful protest could spiral into something as massive as the Bargari Morcha. The govt must act decisively.' He said protesting Khalsa's health records shows his pulse was 43 whereas BP was high.
Khalsa has become a powerful symbol for those demanding legal protections against sacrilege, irrespective of religious affiliation. His persistent protest, despite recurring health setbacks, has resonated with a broad cross-section of Punjab's population, further amplifying calls for legislative action.
With his condition turning critical and his supporters growing restless, all eyes are now on the state govt's next move.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
19 minutes ago
- Time of India
Flurry of trade deals offers relief for some Asian countries, while others wait
BANGKOK: US President Donald Trump has announced trade deals with Japan and a handful of other Asian countries that will relieve some pressure on companies and consumers from sharply higher tariffs on their exports to the United States. A deal with China is under negotiation, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying an August 12 deadline might be postponed again to allow more time for talks. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Technology Project Management Artificial Intelligence MBA Data Science Product Management Leadership MCA Digital Marketing Finance Degree Management others Design Thinking Cybersecurity Data Analytics Others CXO Data Science Healthcare Public Policy Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Weeks MIT xPRO CERT-MIT XPRO Building AI Prod India Starts on undefined Get Details Steep tariffs on US imports of steel and aluminium remain, however, and many other countries, including South Korea and Thailand, have yet to clinch agreements. Overall, economists say the tariffs inevitably will dent growth in Asia and the world. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like How Much Time Could You Save with Clearer Writing? Grammarly Install Now Undo The deals reached so far, ahead of Trump's August 1 deadline Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced a deal Wednesday that will impose 15 per cent tariffs on US imports from Japan, down from Trump's proposed 25 per cent 'reciprocal' tariffs. Live Events It was a huge relief for automakers like Toyota Motor Corp and Honda, whose shares jumped by double digits in Tokyo. Trump also announced trade deals with the Philippines and Indonesia. After meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr, Trump said the import tax on products from his country would be subject to a 19 per cent tariff, down just 1 per cent from the earlier threat of a 20 per cent tariff. Indonesia also will face a 19 per cent tariff, down from the 32 per cent rate Trump had recently said would apply, and it committed to eliminating nearly all of its trade barriers for imports of American goods. Earlier, Trump announced that Vietnam's exports would face a 20 per cent tariff, with double that rate for goods transshipped from China, though there has been no formal announcement. Talks with China may be extended Negotiations with China are subject to an August 12 deadline, but it's likely to be extended, Bessent told Fox Business on Tuesday. He said the two sides were due to hold another round of talks, this time in Sweden, early next week. Meanwhile, Trump said a trip to China may happen soon, hinting at efforts to stabilise US-China trade relations. A preliminary agreement announced in June paved the way for China to lift some restrictions on its exports of rare earths, minerals critical for high technology and other manufacturing. In May, the US agreed to drop Trump's 145 per cent tariff rate on Chinese goods to 30 per cent for 90 days, while China agreed to lower its 125 per cent rate on US goods to 10 per cent. The reprieve allowed companies more time to rush to try to beat the potentially higher tariffs, giving a boost to Chinese exports and alleviating some of the pressure on its manufacturing sector. But prolonged uncertainty over what Trump might do has left companies wary about committing to further investment in China. No deals yet for South Korea and other Asian countries Pressure is mounting on some countries in Asia and elsewhere as the August 1 deadline for striking deals approaches. Trump sent letters, posted on Truth Social, outlining higher tariffs some countries will face if they fail to reach agreements. He said they'd face even higher tariffs if they retaliate by raising their own import duties. South Korea's is set at 25 per cent. Imports from Myanmar and Laos would be taxed at 40 per cent, Cambodia and Thailand at 36 per cent, Serbia and Bangladesh at 35 per cent, South Africa and Bosnia and Herzegovina at 30 per cent and Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Tunisia at 25 per cent. The status of talks with India remains unclear but progress appears to hinge on the country's heavily protected farm sector. It faces a 26 per cent tariff. Nearly every country has faced a minimum 10 per cent levy on goods entering the US since April, on top of other sectoral levies. Economists expect tariffs to sap growth even with trade deals Even after Trump has pulled back from the harshest of his threatened tariffs, the onslaught of uncertainty and higher costs for both manufacturers and consumers has raised risks for the regional and global economy. Economists have been downgrading their estimates for growth in 2025 and beyond. The Asian Development Bank said Wednesday it had cut its growth estimate for economies in developing Asia and the Pacific to 4.7 per cent in 2025 and 4.6 per cent in 2026, down 0.2 percentage points and 0.1 percentage points. The outlook for the region could be further dimmed by an escalation of tariffs and trade friction, it said. 'Other risks include conflicts and geopolitical tensions that could disrupt global supply chains and raise energy prices,' as well as a deterioration in China's ailing property market. Economists at AMRO were less optimistic, expecting growth for Southeast Asia and other major economies in Asia at 3.8 per cent in 2025 and 3.6 per cent next year. While countries in the region have moved to protect their economies from Trump's trade shock, they face significant uncertainties, said AMRO's chief economist, Dong He. 'Uneven progress in tariff negotiations and the potential expansion of tariffs to additional products could further disrupt trade activities and weigh on growth for the region,' he said.
Time of India
20 minutes ago
- Time of India
German government denies rift over Israel's conduct in Gaza
This is an AI- generated image used for representational purposes only German Chancellery Minister Thorsten Frei on Wednesday dismissed concerns of a rift within Germany's coalition government over its position on Israel. An apparent split emerged after Germany opted not to join dozens of Western countries in signing a condemnation of the "inhumane killing" of Palestinian civilians in Gaza on Monday. What has Berlin said about the Gaza letter? Frei, Chancellor Friedrich Merz's top aide, said the coalition was united in its aims regarding Gaza, even if there were divisions over how Germany could achieve them. "There's not even a sheet of paper between the partners," Frei told German broadcaster ZDF. "Of course, you can have different views about the form and the path to a shared goal." On Tuesday, leading figures in the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), the junior coalition partner to Merz's Christian Democrats (CDU), urged the government to join a joint declaration signed by 28 states, including France, Italy and the UK, as well as the European Commission, the European Union's executive branch. It called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza and condemned Israel's actions. Germany has so far declined to sign on to the declaration. However, Frei defended the government's stance, saying the declaration lacked clarity in its sequencing of events. "It must be made clear that the starting point of this war was Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023, and that Hamas continues to hold hostages," he said. He added that Germany maintains "many channels of contact" with the Israeli government. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Swelling and internal bleeding in the brain, help this baby Donate For Health Donate Now Undo Frei emphasized that "the humanitarian situation in Gaza must change," and while Israel has the right to self-defense, protecting civilians is "a legal imperative under international law." What did the SPD say about the declaration? Matthias Miersch, the SPD's parliamentary leader, praised the signatory states, including Germany's "closest partners such as France, Canada and Austria," for sending "a clear signal." The countries involved condemned what they called the "drip feeding of aid" to Palestinians in Gaza and said it was "horrifying" that more than 800 civilians had been killed while seeking food and water. "If international law is systematically violated, there must be consequences," Miersch wrote on the platform X. "Germany should join the UK's initiative and not opt out here." "Starving children, destroyed infrastructure, attacks on people seeking help: That goes against everything that international humanitarian law protects," the senior SPD politician said. Reem Alabali Radovan, Germany's international development minister and an SPD member, said Tuesday she was disappointed by the decision. "The demands in the letter from the 29 partners to the Israeli government are understandable to me. I would have wished for Germany to join the signal sent by the 29 partners," she said. SPD foreign policy spokesperson Adis Ahmetovic and rapporteur for the Middle East Rolf Mützenich, both senior lawmakers within the party, also called on Germany to join the declaration. They stressed in a joint statement that "the situation in Gaza is catastrophic and represents a humanitarian abyss." How has Merz defined his position? German officials have said their stance on Israel is shaped by a unique responsibility, the Staatsraison (reason of state), rooted in the country's Nazi-era history and the Holocaust. They argued they can accomplish more through private diplomatic channels than with public declarations. Merz has said the European Council, the heads of state or government of the European Union, had already issued a joint declaration "practically identical in content to what is expressed in the letter" now circulating. He pointed to the Council's June statement, which deplored the humanitarian crisis in Gaza but was less emotional and bluntly critical of Israel and did not condemn its planned relocation of Palestinians to a so-called "humanitarian city" unveiled earlier this month. "I was one of the first to say very clearly, even in Germany, that the situation there is no longer acceptable," Merz said, pushing back on claims of any split. On Monday, he said he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, telling him "very clearly and very explicitly that we do not share the Israeli government's policy on Gaza." "The way the Israeli army is operating there is not acceptable," Merz said. Fractures within the ruling coalition, only in power since May, were already exposed over a dispute about the appointment of a Constitutional Court judge.
Time of India
20 minutes ago
- Time of India
Dhankhar resigns: Has the VP been asked to vacate his residence immediately? Govt clarifies
NEW DELHI: The government has dismissed social media rumours claiming that former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has been asked to vacate his official residence immediately following his surprise resignation earlier this week. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) issued a public clarification, stating: 'It is being widely claimed on social media that Vice President's official residence has been sealed and former VP has been asked to vacate his residence immediately. These claims are Fake. Don't fall for misinformation. Always verify news from official sources before sharing it,' the PIB Fact Check team posted on X. The clarification came as speculation mounted online over the circumstances surrounding Dhankhar's abrupt resignation, nearly two years before his term was due to end in August 2027. While the official reason cited was health concerns, several opposition leaders have questioned the timing and suggested that the former vice president may have been pressured to step down. According to PTI, Dhankhar, 74, has begun packing and is preparing to move out of the Vice President's Enclave, where he had been residing since April last year. Constructed under the Central Vista redevelopment plan, the Enclave is located on Church Road near the Parliament House complex. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More 'He will be offered a Type VIII bungalow in Lutyens' Delhi or another area,' an Urban Development Ministry official told PTI. As per protocol, former vice presidents are entitled to government accommodation, and the transition is being handled in accordance with standard procedures. The PIB reiterated that the residence has not been sealed and that the move is not sudden or forced. Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, questioned the narrative, saying: 'The government should answer why he resigned. I can see 'dal mein kuch kaala hai'. His health is fine. He used to defend RSS and BJP always. Who and what is behind his resignation should be known to the country.' Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee went a step further, alleging Dhankhar was 'forced' to resign by the Prime Minister and senior ministers and was 'threatened' with impeachment. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has initiated the process for electing a new vice president. The electoral college comprises elected and nominated members of both Houses of Parliament. According to Article 68(2) of the Constitution, a new vice president must be elected 'as soon as possible' after a vacancy arises. The NDA currently holds a comfortable majority in both Houses, giving it an edge in the upcoming election.
