Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], July 15: Punjab Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond on Tuesday defended the introduction of the anti-sacrilege bill in the state assembly, calling it a vital step for the protection of all religious communities in Punjab.
“This bill is for the entire Punjabi community, for the state of Punjab. All religious books are pious,” said Sond while addressing the media.
Sond also criticized Leader of Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa for his repeated objections and disruptions during the Assembly proceedings. “He has been a five-time MLA, an MP, a CM candidate, and now the LoP. These cases of sacrilege have been happening since 2004. Sometimes he says there’s a lack of preparation, other times it’s a lack of information. The debate in the Assembly was disrupted again yesterday,” he added.
Bajwa, meanwhile, slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, calling their handling of the bill “disgraceful.” In a post on X, he said, “The Mann Govt’s handling of the sacrilege bill is disgraceful. Draft handed to us just minutes before the debate — this is not governance; it’s a mockery of democracy. Punjab deserves sincerity, not political drama.”
The controversial ‘Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill 2025’, tabled by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, proposes life imprisonment for those found guilty of sacrilegious acts against any religious scripture.
The state government has called the bill’s introduction a “historic” moment and a step toward fulfilling long-standing public demands for stricter laws on sacrilege.
However, BJP leader and Punjab in-charge Ashwani Kumar Sharma expressed skepticism, questioning the timing of the bill. “Why now? Why wasn’t this brought up in the past three years? Is this a move to divert attention from bigger issues? And how exactly is ‘sacrilege’ defined in this bill?” he asked.
The bill has now ignited a larger political debate, with opposition leaders calling for more transparency and deeper discussion on its implications and definitions.