How is Punjab Addressing Sacrilege Incidents?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Punjab government is addressing sacrilege through legislation.
- The 'Punjab Prevention of Offences against Holy Scriptures Bill, 2025' is currently under discussion.
- Public input is being actively sought through newspaper ads.
- Weekly meetings of the select committee aim to gather expert and public opinions.
- Engagement of religious studies experts is crucial for shaping the bill.
Chandigarh, Aug 19 (NationPress) Addressing the critical matter of the sacrilege of religious scriptures, the Punjab government has unveiled a proposed legislation titled the 'Punjab Prevention of Offences against Holy Scriptures Bill, 2025' within the legislative Assembly.
In this context, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan has established a select committee led by Inderbir Singh Nijjar. This committee convenes weekly to gather public input on this pressing issue.
Advertisements have been published in numerous newspapers inviting the public to share their insights, and the committee has been actively receiving a wealth of suggestions.
During the committee meeting on August 12, experts from Punjabi University, Patiala were present, including Jaspreet Kaur Sandhu from the Department of Sikhism, Gurmeet Singh Sidhu from the Department of Religion, Dharamvir Singh and Gurmail Singh, alongside Jaswinder Singh and Dr. Tejinder Kaur from the Department of Religious Studies. They shared their valuable insights with the committee.
In the subsequent meeting, experts from Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar, such as Amarjit Singh, Head of Sikh Studies, Syed Raihan Hasan Rizvi, Chair of the Urdu Persian Department, and others contributed their recommendations regarding the Bill. The committee expressed gratitude to these knowledgeable individuals. All committee members, including the Chairman, participated in the meeting.
The committee has also reached out to the President of the Bar Association and the Chairman of the Bar Council of the Punjab and Haryana High Court for their input in the upcoming meeting scheduled for August 26.
Furthermore, retired judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court have been invited to submit their suggestions in writing.