Chandigarh, April 20 -- In a shot in the arm for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government ahead ofnext year's Punjab assembly elections, governor Gulab Chand Kataria has granted assent to the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill-2026, paving the way for it to become a law. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann, who is currently abroad on an official tour, shared the development on social media. "Honourable Governor Shri Gulab Chand Kataria Ji has signed the bill passed in the Legislative Assembly against the desecration of Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Now, this bill has become a law. I am very grateful to Waheguru ji for taking this service from a humble person like me. Thanks to the sangat," he said in a post on X, along with an image of the official document showing that the governor accorded assent on Friday. The anti-sacrilege bill, which proposed amendments to the original Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act-2008 to provide for stringent punishments, was tabled in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha by the chief minister during a special one-day session last week to deter incidents of sacrilege and uphold the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib. It was passed unanimously with support from members of the ruling AAP and opposition parties, including the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), after three hours of discussion. On Friday, the CM took to social media to announce that the bill had been sent to the governor, who approved it the same day. The Act will come into force on a date as may be specified by the state government by notification in the official gazette. Once it becomes effective, any offences committed thereafter will be dealt with under this law. Under the amended provisions, any act of sacrilege will attract imprisonment of seven years, extendable up to 20 years, along with a fine ranging from Rs.2 lakh to Rs.10 lakh. Stricter penalties - imprisonment of not less than 10 years, extendable to life term, along with fines of up to Rs.25 lakh - have been provided for an act of sacrilege carried out as part of a criminal conspiracy with the intention of disrupting peace or communal harmony. Similarly, any individual who abets the commission of an offence will be liable to the same punishment as provided for the offence so abetted. A new section has been inserted mandating the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to maintain a central register of 'saroops' (copies of Guru Granth Sahib), allotting each a unique identification number, along with details of printing, storage, distribution and supply. Earlier, both the SAD-BJP and Congress governments tried to enact a law for stricter punishments, but their efforts failed. In 2016, the SAD-BJP government introduced the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016, proposing to add Section 295AA to impose life imprisonment for the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib. However, the central government turned down the proposal, stating that it was not secular as it focused on protecting only one religion. Two years later, the Congress government also brought a revised version of the 2016 bill, expanding protection to four major religious texts - Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Quran and Bible - and proposed life imprisonment for their desecration. However, the bill did not receive Presidential approval. In 2025, the present AAP government also introduced the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scriptures Bill, proposing stringent punishment ranging from a minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment, along with heavy fines. The bill was referred to a select committee of the Vidhan Sabha. The ruling AAP hailed the governor's assent to the bill as a "historic development", while taking swipes at previous Congress and SAD-BJP governments for "inaction" and "lacking the courage and conviction" to deal with sacrilege cases. While the Opposition has been critical of the AAP government for its inaction in the 2015 sacrilege cases and the subsequent police firing on anti-sacrilege protesters, the amended law is likely to help the ruling party blunt these attacks and gain an upper hand on this highly emotive issue for now. Cabinet minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the new law ensures strict punishment for sacrilege and sends a clear message that such acts will not be tolerated. "Where others lacked the courage or conscience, the AAP government has acted decisively. Committed to justice and honour of Guru Sahib," he posted on social media, particularly targeting the SAD and BJP for criticism. He said the history reflected a troubling pattern of sacrilege incidents during the Akali-BJP government's tenure, citing the 1986 Nakodar incident and the 2015 Bargari and Behbal Kalan cases. AAP state president Aman Arora also said the amended law provides for strict exemplary punishments for the guilty. Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring welcomed the governor's assent to the bill and hoped the AAP government will now fulfil its promise to punish the guilty of sacrilege in Behbal Kalan and the subsequent events. He said the passing of the bill was a delaying tactic by the AAP government. "Now, with the governor having granted assent to the bill, the AAP is not left with any excuse," he said, adding, "if the government really has a sincere intention to punish the guilty, let it make a beginning now." Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Sunday urged the state government to bring to the assembly the draft bill - referred to the select committee last year - aimed at preventing sacrilege related to all religions, so that a comprehensive law can be enacted. Thanking the governor for approving the bill, Jakhar said: "We also hope that the government will soon bring the draft law concerning sacrilege of all religions." Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami welcomed the Punjab governor's approval to the bill aimed at imposing strict punishment for acts of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib. He, however, said the legislation alone is not enough. "It is equally important to identify and expose those behind such acts and prevent them from recurring," Dhami said, urging Sikh community to remain alert to safeguard the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib....