Latest news with #PunjabAmendment
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Punjab's sacrilege Bill: activist on tower protest to climb down only after law enacted, says morcha
Hours after the Punjab government tabled a Bill, providing for enhanced penalties, including life imprisonment and Rs 10 lakh fine for those guilty of sacrilege, the Sarb Dharam Beadbi Rokko Morcha said that its member Gurjeet Singh Khalsa, on protest atop a 400-feet high telecom tower for last over 275 days, would climb down only after the proposed legislation is cleared by the House and gets President's assent. 'Khalsa ji will not come down. We will wait for the Governor to give his assent to the Bill,' said convener of the morcha, Bhai Gurpreet Singh. A source in the government, however, said that despite being a state-specific Bill, it will need Presidential assent before being notified as law. Gurpreet Singh said, 'Though the Bill provides for life imprisonment, it has been diluted. We had given them the draft. It also provided for trial of parents if a juvenile commits the crime of sacrilege. Even the previous government's Bill was about life imprisonment.' The Morcha had handed over a draft to the government. The government took a few days to get legal opinion and then tabled the Bill. 'The government thinks that it will be able to bring Khalsa ji down. He is not coming down,' added Gurpreet Singh. The government has only tabled the Bill. It will come up for debate on Tuesday. After the debate, it would be handed over to the select committee. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann had earlier said that the select committee will take a few weeks to consult various stakeholders before giving a report to the Vidhan Sabha. After that a final draft will be prepared and tabled in Vidhan Sabha once again. 'In that case, the protest will continue,' said Gurpreet Singh. He added, 'Khalsa ji is not alone. Today, at least 15 Sikhs have started fast unto death at the morcha in Samana. They are doing satyagraha for the enactment of the law'. Khalsa had climbed up the tower in October last year. His condition has been deteriorating. The CM had met the representatives of the morcha two weeks ago and promised to bring a law. After that he had announced to summon special session of Vidhan Sabha. How Mann and Capt govt Bills compare The Bill tabled in Vidhan Sabha on Monday and the one tabled by former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's government provide for life imprisonment for sacrilege. However, a government functionary said that Amarinder's Bill was about insertions of Sections in IPC and CrPC while incumbent government has opted for a State Bill. Amarinder government had passed The Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018 and The Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2018, which stipulated punishment upto 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 Indian Penal Code (IPC) by inserting Section 295AA. Under the Section 295 A, a convict was subjected to punishment for a maximum of three years imprisonment with or without fine. Amarinder's Bill enhanced it. It also enhanced 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. These Bills were returned by the Centre recently asking the government that these should be in line with BNS and BNSS. AAP government's Bill says that any person who commits an offence under this Act shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 10 years and which may extend to life imprisonment, and shall also be liable to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh which may extend upto Rs 10 lakh. It also says any person who attempts to commit an offence under this Act shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years and which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to pay a fine which may extend upto Rs 3 lakhs. The offence(s) punishable under this Act shall be cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable, triable by a sessions court. The investigation of the offence (s) punishable under this Act shall be conducted by the police officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.
The Print
21 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
Anti-sacrilege bill likely to tabled in Punjab Assembly
The draft bill may propose life imprisonment for sacrilege acts against religious scriptures, sources said. Ahead of the third day of the special session of the state assembly, a cabinet meeting was held here in which the anti-sacrilege bill was given nod by the council of ministers, the sources said. Chandigarh, Jul 14 (PTI) A draft bill seeking stricter punishment for acts of sacrilege is likely to be introduced in the Punjab Assembly on Monday, sources said. There may also be a provision for setting up special courts to deal with cases pertaining to desecration of scriptures. There will be no parole for those guilty of sacrilege acts, they further said. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had earlier said the state government would seek the opinion of all stakeholders and religious bodies for the proposed legislation, indicating it would not be enacted immediately. 'We are drafting it. A law is going to be enacted. But for this, we will talk to stakeholders, religious organisations. We will present the draft legislation (in the assembly). 'But for the final draft, we will require time. After presenting it in the Vidhan Sabha, we will seek public opinion,' he had said. 'We will speak to religious bodies about how the law should be. We will take the (draft) bill to the public to seek their opinion for any amendments,' he had then said. Mann had said the government would consult leading legal experts to ensure that a robust state legislation is enacted – one that prevents offenders from evading strict consequences, including the possibility of capital punishment for such heinous crimes. Reaffirming his government's commitment to justice, Mann had stated that every person involved in these sacrilegious acts, either directly or indirectly, would face exemplary punishment. Mann had highlighted that while the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) provides clear provisions regarding religious places, it remains silent on holy 'granths'. He had also said that as the subject falls under the concurrent list, the state has the authority to enact such legislation, and legal opinions would be sought accordingly. It is not the first time that a law was being brought in the state for stricter punishment for perpetrators of sacrilege acts. In 2016, the then SAD-BJP government brought in the IPC (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016 and CrPC (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016 recommending life sentence for sacrilege acts against Guru Granth Sahib. The Centre later returned the bill, saying all religions should be treated equally given the secular nature of the Constitution. In 2018, the Amarinder Singh government had passed two bills –the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018′, and 'the Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2018', which stipulated a punishment of up to life imprisonment for injury, damage or sacrilege to Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Quran and the Bible. However, the two Bills did not get the President's assent. Acts of sacrilege against religious scriptures has been an emotive issue in Punjab and there has been a demand from various quarters for stringent punishment for the acts of sacrilege against religious texts. The incident related to the theft of a 'bir' (copy) of Guru Ganth Sahib from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala gurdwara, putting up handwritten sacrilegious posters in Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala and torn pages of the holy book found scattered at Bargari, had taken place in Bargari in Faridkot in 2015. These incidents had led to anti-sacrilege protests 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. PTI CHS VSD DV DV This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Anti-sacrilege bill likely to tabled in Punjab Assembly
A draft bill seeking stricter punishment for acts of sacrilege is likely to be introduced in the Punjab Assembly on Monday (July 14, 2025), sources said. Ahead of the third day of the special session of the State Assembly, a Cabinet meeting was held here in which the anti-sacrilege bill was given nod by the council of ministers, the sources said. The draft bill may propose life imprisonment for sacrilege acts against religious scriptures, sources said. There may also be a provision for setting up special courts to deal with cases pertaining to desecration of scriptures. There will be no parole for those guilty of sacrilege acts, they further said. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had earlier said the State Government would seek the opinion of all stakeholders and religious bodies for the proposed legislation, indicating it would not be enacted immediately. "We are drafting it. A law is going to be enacted. But for this, we will talk to stakeholders, religious organisations. We will present the draft legislation [in the Assembly]. "But for the final draft, we will require time. After presenting it in the Vidhan Sabha, we will seek public opinion," he had said. "We will speak to religious bodies about how the law should be. We will take the (draft) bill to the public to seek their opinion for any amendments," he had then said. Mr. Mann had said the government would consult leading legal experts to ensure that a robust State legislation is enacted - one that prevents offenders from evading strict consequences, including the possibility of capital punishment for such heinous crimes. Reaffirming his government's commitment to justice, Mr. Mann had stated that every person involved in these sacrilegious acts, either directly or indirectly, would face exemplary punishment. Mr. Mann had highlighted that while the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) provides clear provisions regarding religious places, it remains silent on holy 'granths'. He had also said that as the subject falls under the concurrent list, the State has the authority to enact such legislation, and legal opinions would be sought accordingly. Previous attempts at increasing punishment for act of sacrilege It is not the first time that a law was being brought in the State for stricter punishment for perpetrators of sacrilege acts. In 2016, the then SAD-BJP government brought in the IPC (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016 and CrPC (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016 recommending life sentence for sacrilege acts against Guru Granth Sahib. The Centre later returned the bill, saying all religions should be treated equally given the secular nature of the Constitution. In 2018, the Amarinder Singh government had passed two bills — the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018', and 'the Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2018', which stipulated a punishment of up to life imprisonment for injury, damage or sacrilege to Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Quran and the Bible. However, the two Bills did not get the President's assent. Acts of sacrilege against religious scriptures has been an emotive issue in Punjab and there has been a demand from various quarters for stringent punishment for the acts of sacrilege against religious texts. The incident related to the theft of a 'bir' (copy) of Guru Ganth Sahib from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala gurdwara, putting up handwritten sacrilegious posters in Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala and torn pages of the holy book found scattered at Bargari, had taken place in Bargari in Faridkot in 2015. These incidents had led to anti-sacrilege protests 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.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Joy in Kila Raipur as bill paves way for return of bullock cart races
The bullock cart races of Kila Raipur are all set to make a comeback, with Punjab Vidhan Sabha passing the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2025, clearing the legal roadblocks that had long stalled these traditional races. The president of the Kila Raipur Sports Association, Col Surinder Singh (retd), expressed his happiness and thanked everyone who supported the cause. (HT Photo) President Droupadi Murmu had already given her assent to the bill earlier this year on February 27, paving the way for the resumption of bullock cart racing under certain conditions. With the Punjab assembly now formally passing the bill, organisers can once again begin preparing for the return of one of the Punjab's oldest rural sporting traditions. The president of the Kila Raipur Sports Association, Col Surinder Singh (retd), expressed his happiness and thanked everyone who supported the cause. 'It is a historic day for us. After years of legal hurdles and tireless efforts by our association, the path has finally cleared. This sport is not just a competition, it's our heritage,' he said. Col Singh recalled the difficulties faced by the organisers over the past decade. 'After the Supreme Court's 2014 ban, it became nearly impossible to organise bullock cart races. While states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka fought alongside their governments and succeeded in getting laws passed for Jallikattu and Kambala, here in Punjab, our association had to fight the case on its own — from the high court to the Supreme Court — without any financial help from the government,' he said. He added, 'We sent a proposal to the President back in 2019, and after years of delay, we received assent in 2024. Now, with the bill passed by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, it is time the state issues clear guidelines to all deputy commissioners to allow these races at village fairs.' The event, famously known as the Kila Raipur Rural Olympics, has been celebrated since the 1930s and gained global attention for its display of traditional Punjabi sports. The bullock cart race was the star attraction — until the 2014 ban under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 brought it to a halt. As per the new law, strict conditions will govern the conduct of such races. These include the presence of a veterinary team during the event, ensuring animals are fit and healthy, that races are not conducted under extreme heat, and other welfare measures in line with animal safety rules. Nirmal Singh, general secretary of Malwa Doaba Bullock Association said, 'We have made untiring efforts from the past 14 years and our efforts have borne fruits and all the bullock cart racers are happy and eagerly waiting for the race'. With the bill now officially in place, villagers, sports fans, and traditionalists are eagerly waiting for the return of thunderous hoofbeats at the tracks of Kila Raipur.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Kila Raipur's heart begins to race
Ludhiana: The thunder of hooves, the creak of wood, returns to Punjab. Bullock cart races are set to gallop back into state's sporting culture, with the assembly on Friday passing the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2025. The move paves the way for legal bullock cart races, reviving a decades-old tradition central to the famed Kila Raipur "Rural Olympics". The legislation has been welcomed by race organisers, farmers, and diaspora supporters, who had long decried the 2014 Supreme Court ban. The Kila Raipur Sports Society, which oversees the iconic games held each January and February, said it is already preparing for a major comeback in 2026. "We are on top of the world," said Colonel (Retd) Surinder Singh Grewal, president of the society. "Bullock cart races are the soul of the Kila Raipur Games. We expect between 150 and 200 bull pairs, with participants from across Punjab and neighbouring states." Grewal said the lifting of the ban would not only boost rural pride but also tourism, with interest from Punjabi diaspora communities in the US, Canada, UK and Australia. "We've seen foreign visitors come in the past. With the races back, the crowd will only grow," he said. Cultural Clash Revived The races were outlawed after animal rights petitions alleged cruelty to bulls during competitions. Organisers have pushed back against those claims, insisting animals are well-treated and the events are a matter of honour, not profit. "These bulls are like our children," said Gurinder Singh, a bull owner from Samrala, who maintains six racing bulls. "We feed them special diets, ensure regular vet checkups, and train them for stamina and strength. " Gurinder said races continued discreetly during the ban, often held in villages across the state on nearly 300 days each year—except during the monsoon. "The police used to shut them down, but now we can run them with pride," he said. Race insiders claim that small village events — known as 'Chhoti Daud' — carry cash prizes ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹15,000. But most owners say it's the prestige that matters. Decade-long Legal Battle The Kila Raipur Sports Society said that following the ban, various regional bull race associations from Malwa, Majha and Doaba challenged the decision in court. While similar traditional sports such as Jallikattu were reinstated in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra via state legislation, Punjab lagged behind. In 2019, the then Congress-led govt introduced a similar bill, but it stalled due to legal technicalities. It wasn't until March 2024 that the bill — corrected and backed by the current govt — received presidential assent. Final rules and bylaws were drawn up with the animal husbandry department and passed by the Vidhan Sabha on July 11. Sports, Spectacle, Safety The upcoming 2026 Kila Raipur Games will feature not just bullock cart races, but also dog races, tractor pulls, kabaddi, tug-of-war, and traditional Sikh martial arts like Gatka. Cultural performances such as bhangra and giddha will be held over the three-day festival. Officials have promised veterinary oversight and medical facilities for animals to address welfare concerns. "Specialist teams and ambulances will be stationed during races," said a society member. The Bullock Cart Races Association of Punjab, which claims over 50,000 members, also hailed the legislation. Its general secretary, Nirmal Singh — a US-based non-resident Indian — said he owns three bulls in Jargari village and has long awaited the races' formal return. "This is more than sport — it's our identity," he said. MSID:: 122406565 413 |
