Punjab deputy CM writes to Centre over sacrilege Bills
Chandigarh Dec 20 PTI Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Monday wrote to the Centre asking for obtaining presidential assent for two bills passed by the state Assembly in 2018 for ensuring stringent punishment for those involved in desecration incidents Randhawa wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for ensuring assent to the Code of Criminal Procedure Punjab Amendment Bill 2018 and the Indian Penal Code Punjab Amendment Bill 2018 which provide for life imprisonment for the sacrilege of holy books In the letter Randhawa who holds home portfolio wrote I want to bring to your notice that sacrilege of holy books is becoming a major issue in Punjab Shri Guru Granth Sahib is considered a living Guru and not an object by the Sikhs and it is accorded respect according to Sikh maryada In this context it was felt that the existing provisions of Section 295 and 295-A of the Indian Penal Code-1860 which provide for a punishment of up to three years are inadequate to deal with this situation he said So the Punjab Vidhan Sabha passed the Indian Penal Code Punjab Amendment Bill 2018 and The Code of Criminal Procedure Punjab Amendment Bill 2018 which provide for punishment up to life imprisonment for whoever causing injury damage or sacrilege to the Shri Guru Granth Sahib Srimad Bhagavad Gita Holy Quran and Holy Bible with the intention to hurt religious feelings of people he wrote Randhawa said these bills were given assent by the Punjab governor in September 2018 However these have been pending for assent of the President since October 2018 he said Punjab being a border State it is extremely necessary to maintain communal harmony here For this deterrent punishment is a must for those trying to disturb communal harmony by indulging in the sacrileges So I again request that the Presidential assent for the said Bills may kindly be obtained and conveyed to the state government at the earliest possible he wrote Two unidentified men were beaten to death at the Golden Temple in Amritsar and at a gurdwara in Kapurthala district for their alleged sacrilege attempts PTI CHS VSD RDK RDK
Chandigarh Dec 20 PTI Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Monday wrote to the Centre asking for obtaining presidential assent for two bills passed by the state Assembly in 2018 for ensuring stringent punishment for those involved in desecration incidents Randhawa wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for ensuring assent to the Code of Criminal Procedure Punjab Amendment Bill 2018 and the Indian Penal Code Punjab Amendment Bill 2018 which provide for life imprisonment for the sacrilege of holy books In the letter Randhawa who holds home portfolio wrote I want to bring to your notice that sacrilege of holy books is becoming a major issue in Punjab Shri Guru Granth Sahib is considered a living Guru and not an object by the Sikhs and it is accorded respect according to Sikh maryada In this context it was felt that the existing provisions of Section 295 and 295-A of the Indian Penal Code-1860 which provide for a punishment of up to three years are inadequate to deal with this situation he said So the Punjab Vidhan Sabha passed the Indian Penal Code Punjab Amendment Bill 2018 and The Code of Criminal Procedure Punjab Amendment Bill 2018 which provide for punishment up to life imprisonment for whoever causing injury damage or sacrilege to the Shri Guru Granth Sahib Srimad Bhagavad Gita Holy Quran and Holy Bible with the intention to hurt religious feelings of people he wrote Randhawa said these bills were given assent by the Punjab governor in September 2018 However these have been pending for assent of the President since October 2018 he said Punjab being a border State it is extremely necessary to maintain communal harmony here For this deterrent punishment is a must for those trying to disturb communal harmony by indulging in the sacrileges So I again request that the Presidential assent for the said Bills may kindly be obtained and conveyed to the state government at the earliest possible he wrote Two unidentified men were beaten to death at the Golden Temple in Amritsar and at a gurdwara in Kapurthala district for their alleged sacrilege attempts PTI CHS VSD RDK RDK
