Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu on Monday, 29 June welcomed the Akal Takht's directive calling for a comprehensive review of the Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkaar (Amendment) Act, 2026, while launching a sharp attack on the Punjab government over what he described as a deeply flawed legislative process. The minister's remarks came hours after Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, head of the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, issued an ultimatum to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to remove objectionable clauses from the recently enacted law.

What the Akal Takht Directed

The Akal Takht directive followed a significant gathering in which all Sikh legislators and ministers appeared before the Jathedar and, by raising their hands, collectively agreed to review the law afresh. The Jathedar placed the legislation on hold pending that review. Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj raised pointed objections to the government's attempt to define religious terminology through statute — specifically, the replacement of the traditional term 'Bir' with 'Saroop' — and flagged concerns over provisions affecting the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee's (SGPC) role in the printing and publication of Guru Granth Sahib Birs.

Bittu's Broadside: Who Drafted This Bill?

Bittu reserved his sharpest criticism for the legislative process itself, alleging that several MLAs from different political parties — who had voted to pass the Bill in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha — were unable to explain its provisions or legal implications when questioned during the Akal Takht deliberations. 'What unfolded during today's deliberations is deeply disturbing,' he said in a statement.

The minister questioned whether the Assembly had been reduced to endorsing a pre-drafted document. 'The Punjab Vidhan Sabha is not a rubber stamp. MLAs are elected by the people to debate, scrutinize and legislate, not to blindly endorse documents placed before them,' Bittu said. He called it 'shocking' that elected representatives drawing salaries and privileges from the public exchequer could not explain the very law they had voted for.

The Sanctity Argument

Bittu argued that any legislation concerning Sri Guru Granth Sahib-ji demands far more than political expediency. '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,' he said. He called for the collective wisdom of Sikh scholars, legal experts, Panthic institutions, and elected representatives to guide any future legislative effort. He also asserted that such legislation cannot be 'influenced by political expediency or dictated from outside Punjab.'

Political Context and What Comes Next

The controversy places the AAP government in Punjab under significant institutional and religious pressure. The Akal Takht's intervention is rare and carries considerable moral authority within the Sikh community. Notably, the Jathedar's ultimatum — backed by a public show of hands from Sikh legislators — effectively freezes the law until the government addresses the objections. Bittu described the Akal Takht's decision to allow time for wider consultation as 'both timely and necessary,' adding that it provides an opportunity to ensure any future law is 'constitutionally sound, legally enforceable and fully consistent with Sikh principles and sentiments.' The government has yet to formally respond to the Akal Takht's directive or indicate a timeline for amending the legislation.