Amritsar: Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaaj has intensified the standoff between the Sikh clergy and the Punjab government by issuing a strict 15-day ultimatum to withdraw controversial provisions of the Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act. Speaking at a press conference in Amritsar on Friday, the Jathedar demanded that Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan convene a special assembly session to address the grievances of the community. He asserted that the Sikh Panth will not tolerate government interference in religious traditions, maintaining that only Sikh institutions and scholars possess the authority to frame rules concerning religious protocols and the Sikh Rehat Maryada.
The Jathedar expressed deep concern over specific clauses in the legislation that shift legal accountability onto the custodians of the holy scriptures, such as granthis and gurdwara management committees, rather than strictly targeting the perpetrators of sacrilege. He highlighted that the imposition of five-year prison sentences and heavy fines of ten lakh rupees for administrative lapses is an attempt to create a distance between the Sikh community and their Guru. Furthermore, he questioned the logic of empowering police officers of DSP rank to investigate matters of religious compliance, asking how a state official could be qualified to judge the adherence to spiritual traditions.
A significant portion of the Jathedar’s address focused on the government’s proposal to assign unique identification numbers to sacred saroops and maintain their records on digital platforms. The Akal Takht has issued a formal directive prohibiting any institution or individual from uploading details of the holy saroops online, emphasizing that the Guru is a living spiritual light and not a commodity to be catalogued. This move is intended to preserve the supreme honour and dignity associated with the scriptures, ensuring that the spiritual bond between the Guru and the followers remains free from state-sponsored digital tracking.
The Jathedar alleged that the administration is disregarding the directives of the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs while simultaneously engaging in public displays of piety. Warning of a firm response from the community if the government remains adamant, the Jathedar announced the formation of a legal panel comprising former judges and lawyers to scrutinize the draft law. He urged all gurdwara committees to remain vigilant and called for the Act to be kept in abeyance until a broad consensus is reached within the Panth.
