Grant Presidential assent to Punjab’s anti-sacrilege Bills: AAP MP’s notice in LS

50

NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP from Anandpur Sahib Malwinder Singh Kang on Wednesday gave a notice for adjournment of House proceedings to discuss the issue of sacrilege of holy texts in Punjab.

In his letter to Lok Sabha secretary general, Kang demanded the intervention of Central Government for seeking Presidential assent for Bills of the Punjab Assembly that provide for harsher punishment for acts of sacrilege against all religious texts.

The bills IPC amendment bill and the CrPC amendment bill were passed by the Punjab Assembly on August 28, 2018, but have not received assent of the President.

The issue of sacrilege of holy texts continues to dominate the political narrative in Punjab where Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal is facing the wrath of the Akal Takht for failing to address the sacrilege crimes committed when SAD was in power in the state.

The Takht has declared Sukhbir a ‘tankhaiya’ for his acts that violated the Sikh religious code and deeply harmed the Panth during his time as Punjab deputy chief minister and party president from 2007 to 2017.