Punjab Opposition Accuses AAP of Passing Religious Bill Without Reading

Punjab's opposition parties on Monday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of mishandling the Jagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, alleging that ministers and MLAs approved the bill in the Vidhan Sabha without reading its contents.

BJP Punjab president Kewal Singh Dhillon said approving such an important bill without proper scrutiny showed “serious negligence” by the ruling party. He alleged that the AAP government, its ministers and legislators are “merely indulging in politics over the issue of sacrilege and playing with Sikh sentiments.”

Dhillon also questioned why AAP legislators allegedly sought permission from party convenor Arvind Kejriwal before appearing before the Akal Takht. “If Akal Takht is supreme, why was Kejriwal’s approval needed?” he asked, alleging legal flaws in the government’s handling of the legislation forced the religious body to intervene. He said the government should have obtained consent of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the Akal Takht before passing any legislation on Sikh religion, but “intoxicated by power, the government ignored all established religious norms and protocols.”

Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said the state government must consult the Akal Takht before enacting any law related to Sikh religious affairs. He cited a 1959 agreement between then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Akali leader Master Tara Singh that recognised the need for such consultation. Warring criticised AAP’s Sikh MLAs for reportedly waiting for Kejriwal’s approval before attending a meeting convened by the Akal Takht Jathedar, calling it a religious issue, not a party matter.

Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu welcomed the decision of Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargajj to seek a comprehensive review of the law and initiate wider consultations. “The sanctity of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is above politics. Any law concerning our eternal Guru cannot be drafted in haste, passed for headlines, or used as a political spectacle,” Bittu said. He added that it was disturbing that several MLAs from different parties were unable to explain the bill’s contents or legal implications, raising questions about who actually drafted the legislation.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal accused AAP’s Punjab leaders of being “mute slaves of their Delhi-based masters” who do not hesitate to commit wrongs at their behest. He claimed the MLAs endorsed the legislation without reading it. Badal also linked the AAP to past sacrilege incidents, alleging the party is behind such acts. “By the will of the Almighty, their true face has been exposed before the entire world through their own actions,” he said.

The AAP government has not yet issued a response to the allegations. The bill aims to amend existing laws related to the handling of the Sikh holy scripture. The Akal Takht has called for a comprehensive review and wider consultations before the bill proceeds further.