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Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Anti-sacrilege Bill: Punjab assembly select committee holds first meeting
A 15-member select committee of the Punjab assembly, which was formed to hold wider consultation with all stakeholders on an anti-sacrilege Bill, held its first meeting in Chandigarh on Thursday. The assembly unanimously decided to refer the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill to the 15-member select committee of the House to hold wider consultation with all stakeholders. (HT file photo) Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on July 19 formed the select committee of the House for seeking public opinion on the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill, 2025. The move came after the Punjab assembly unanimously decided to refer the Bill, proposing punishment up to life imprisonment for sacrilege acts against religious scriptures, to the select committee of the House to seek public opinion, including religious bodies on the proposed legislation. The panel will submit its report on the Bill within six months after taking public opinion. The first meeting of the select committee was chaired by AAP MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Nijjar said the members of the committee discussed its work area and also about the Bill. However, he said he could not share details regarding the day-to-day proceedings of the committee as these are confidential. 'It (sacrilege) is a sensitive issue. We will continue to hold meetings,' Nijjar said, adding their efforts would be to submit their report within six months. He said people will be able to share their opinion on the Bill through e-mail and WhatsApp number, which will be worked out in the next meeting on Tuesday. Replying to a question, Nijjar said the committee will seek the opinion of all bodies and intellectuals regarding the Bill. 'We may form a sub-committee. We may increase the frequency of meetings,' he said in response to a question. The members of the committee are AAP MLAs Ajay Gupta, Amandeep Kaur Arora, Inderjit Kaur Mann, Jagdeep Kamboj, Neena Mittal, Baljinder Kaur, Budh Ram, Bram Shanker Jimpa, Madan Lal Bagga, Mohammad Jamil Ur Rahman, BJP MLA Jangi Lal Mahajan, Congress legislators Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal and Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali. The anti-sacrilege Bill was introduced on July 14 in the House. It mandates strict punishment, extending up to life imprisonment, for the desecration of holy scriptures, including the Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Quran. According to the Bill, any person found guilty of sacrilege may face imprisonment ranging from 10 years to life. The guilty shall also be liable to pay a fine of ₹5 lakh, which may extend up to ₹10 lakh. Those attempting to commit the offence may be sentenced to three to five years and shall also be liable to pay a fine which may extend up to ₹3 lakh, according to the Bill. Individuals found abetting the crime will be punished in accordance with the offence committed. Under the Bill, offence means any sacrilege, damage, destruction, defacing, disfiguring, de-colouring, de-filling, decomposing, burning, breaking or tearing of any holy scripture or part thereof.
News18
5 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Anmol Gagan Maan Resigns As Punjab AAP MLA, Quits Politics: 'My Heart Is Heavy...'
Last Updated: Maan, who was the MLA from the Kharar constituency, sent her resignation to Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan AAP leader Anmol Gagan Maan on Saturday resigned from the Punjab Assembly and announced that she is quitting politics. Maan, who was the MLA from the Kharar constituency, sent her resignation to Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan. In a post in Punjabi on X, she wrote, 'My heart is heavy, but I have decided to step away from politics. I request the Hon'ble Speaker to accept my resignation from the position of MLA. My best wishes remain with the party. I hope the Punjab Government lives up to the expectations of the people." ਦਿਲ ਭਾਰੀ ਹੈ, ਪਰ ਮੈਂ ਸਿਆਸਤ ਛੱਡਣ ਦਾ ਫੈਸਲਾ ਲਿਆ ਹੈ।ਮੇਰਾ MLA ਦੇ ਅਹੁਦੇ ਤੋਂ ਸਪੀਕਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਨੂੰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਅਸਤੀਫਾ ਸਵੀਕਾਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਵੇ।ਮੇਰੀਆਂ ਸ਼ੁਭਕਾਮਨਾਵਾਂ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਨਾਲ ਹਨ । ਮੈਨੂੰ ਓਮੀਦ ਹੈ, ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਉਮੀਦਾਂ ਤੇ ਖਰੀ ਉਤਰੇਗੀ |— Anmol Gagan Maan Sohi (@AnmolGaganMann) July 19, 2025 Maan, a singer-turned-politician, was elected from Kharar in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections. She did not give any reason for her resignation. There was no immediate response from the Aam Aadmi Party as well. Maan had joined AAP in July 2020 and was later made co-president of the party's youth wing. She sang a campaign song in praise of party leader Arvind Kejriwal before the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections. In those elections, she defeated Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Ranjit Singh Gill in the Kharar seat by a margin of 37,885 votes. After her victory, she was appointed as a minister in the Bhagwant Mann-led government and was given charge of tourism and culture, investment promotion, labour, and hospitality. However, in September 2024, she was among four ministers dropped from the Cabinet. Maan, who hails from Mansa district, married advocate Shahbaaz Singh Sohi in June 2024. Before entering politics, she was well known for her Punjabi songs such as Suit, Ghaint Purpose, and Sherni (With inputs from PTI) view comments First Published: July 19, 2025, 15:54 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Economic Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Anti-sacrilege bill: Punjab Speaker forms 15-member select committee led by Inderbir Nijjar to consult stakeholders
IANS After three hours of intense debate of allegations and counter allegations, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday unanimously decided to refer the highly emotive Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scriptures Bill of 2025 to a select committee for consultation with all stakeholders. Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on Saturday formed a 15-member select committee of the House for wider consultations with stakeholders on an anti-sacrilege bill. The move came days after the Punjab Assembly unanimously decided to refer the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill, 2025, proposing punishment up to life imprisonment for sacrilege acts against religious scriptures, to a select committee of the House. The panel will submit its report on the bill within six months. The 15-member panel will be headed by AAP MLA from Amritsar South and former minister Inderbir Singh Nijjar, according to a notification issued by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha secretariat on Saturday. The members of the committee are -- AAP MLAs Ajay Gupta, Amandeep Kaur Arora, Inderjit Kaur Mann, Jagdeep Kamboj, Neena Mittal, Baljinder Kaur, Budh Ram, Bram Shanker Jimpa, Madan Lal Bagga, and Mohammad Jamil Ur Rahman; BJP MLA Jangi Lal Mahajan, Congress legislators Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal; and Shiromani Akali Dal legislator Manpreet Singh Ayali. Punjab Advocate General Maninderjit Singh Bedi will be the ex-officio member of the committee. The anti-sacrilege bill was introduced on July 14 in the House. The bill mandates strict punishment, extending up to life imprisonment, for the desecration of holy scriptures, including the Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Quran. According to the bill, any person found guilty of sacrilege may face imprisonment ranging from 10 years to life. The guilty shall also be liable to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh, which may extend up to Rs 10 lakh. Those attempting to commit the offence may be sentenced to three to five years and shall also be liable to pay a fine which may extend up to Rs 3 lakh. Individuals found abetting the crime will be punished in accordance with the offence committed. Under the Bill, offence means any sacrilege, damage, destruction, defacing, disfiguring, de-colouring, de-filling, decomposing, burning, breaking or tearing of any holy scripture or part thereof. Sacrilege has been an emotive issue in Punjab. There has been a demand from various quarters for stringent punishment for sacrilege after the incidents of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib in 2015 in Faridkot. In the police firing at anti-sacrilege protesters in October 2015, two persons were killed in Behbal Kalan, while some persons were injured at Kotkapura in Faridkot.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Anti-sacrilege bill: Punjab Speaker forms 15-member select committee led by Inderbir Nijjar to consult stakeholders
Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on Saturday formed a 15-member select committee of the House for wider consultations with stakeholders on an anti-sacrilege bill . The move came days after the Punjab Assembly unanimously decided to refer the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill, 2025, proposing punishment up to life imprisonment for sacrilege acts against religious scriptures, to a select committee of the House. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Data Science Finance Degree MBA Operations Management Leadership Management Data Analytics Artificial Intelligence Digital Marketing Technology MCA Data Science Public Policy Cybersecurity PGDM Healthcare Project Management Product Management healthcare Design Thinking CXO others Others Skills you'll gain: Data Analysis & Interpretation Programming Proficiency Problem-Solving Skills Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT MSc in Data Science Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Strategic Data-Analysis, including Data Mining & Preparation Predictive Modeling & Advanced Clustering Techniques Machine Learning Concepts & Regression Analysis Cutting-edge applications of AI, like NLP & Generative AI Duration: 8 Months IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details The panel will submit its report on the bill within six months. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo The 15-member panel will be headed by AAP MLA from Amritsar South and former minister Inderbir Singh Nijjar , according to a notification issued by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha secretariat on Saturday. The members of the committee are -- AAP MLAs Ajay Gupta, Amandeep Kaur Arora, Inderjit Kaur Mann, Jagdeep Kamboj, Neena Mittal, Baljinder Kaur, Budh Ram, Bram Shanker Jimpa, Madan Lal Bagga, and Mohammad Jamil Ur Rahman; BJP MLA Jangi Lal Mahajan, Congress legislators Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal; and Shiromani Akali Dal legislator Manpreet Singh Ayali. Live Events Punjab Advocate General Maninderjit Singh Bedi will be the ex-officio member of the committee. The anti-sacrilege bill was introduced on July 14 in the House. The bill mandates strict punishment, extending up to life imprisonment, for the desecration of holy scriptures , including the Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Quran. According to the bill, any person found guilty of sacrilege may face imprisonment ranging from 10 years to life. The guilty shall also be liable to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh, which may extend up to Rs 10 lakh. Those attempting to commit the offence may be sentenced to three to five years and shall also be liable to pay a fine which may extend up to Rs 3 lakh. Individuals found abetting the crime will be punished in accordance with the offence committed. Under the Bill, offence means any sacrilege, damage, destruction, defacing, disfiguring, de-colouring, de-filling, decomposing, burning, breaking or tearing of any holy scripture or part thereof. Sacrilege has been an emotive issue in Punjab. There has been a demand from various quarters for stringent punishment for sacrilege after the incidents of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib in 2015 in Faridkot. In the police firing at anti-sacrilege protesters in October 2015, two persons were killed in Behbal Kalan, while some persons were injured at Kotkapura in Faridkot.
NDTV
15-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Punjab's Anti-Sacrilege Bill Meets Roadblock, Sent To Select Committee
Chandigarh: The anti-sacrilege bill, meant to introduce stringent punishment for desecration of religious scriptures - be it Guru Granth Sahab, Gita, Quran or the Bible -- did not get passed in the Punjab assembly today despite there being a broad consensus on the need for tougher laws. The Punjab Prevention of Crimes Against Holy Scriptures Bill 2025 -- which proposed life imprisonment for culprits -- was sent to a select committee. The BJP had raised questions over the bill, asking why feedback from political and social parties was not sought. The Congress wanted more time to scrutinise it. The Select Committee will include assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and it would take the opinion of all stakeholders and submit its report within six months. The proposal related to this was passed unanimously in the Assembly. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann told the assembly that unlike earlier, those who desecrate the holy scriptures will get exemplary punishment once the bill is passed. "Whenever incidents of desecration took place, our heart used to break. But till date there was no such concrete law in this matter. The culprits used to come out after serving the sentence after a short time. Therefore, it was very important that anyone who desecrates any religious text should get exemplary punishment," he said. Punjab has been trying to pass an anti-sacrilege bill since several instances of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib about a decade ago. Attempts were made in 2016 and 2018 to pass similar bills. In 2016, the Centre thumbs downed the IPC (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016 and CrPC (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016, saying all religions should be treated equally given the secular nature of the Constitution. In 2018, the Amarinder Singh government passed two similar bills which did not get the President's nod. The current bill has provisions for strict punishment including life imprisonment for the desecration of holy scriptures. Till now, cases involving desecration of religious texts were filed under IPC and later BNS Sections 298 (hurting religious sentiments, carrying a jail term of 3 years, fine or both), 299 (outraging religious feelings carrying a three-year jail term, a fine or both) and 300 (disturbing religious assemblies carrying a one-year jail term, a fine or both).
