The best secular Sikh authority, the Akal Takht, is within the highlight over its stance on Punjab’s new anti-sacred legislation. In an interview with The Indian Categorical, Akal Takht Jathedar Jani Kuldeep Singh Gargazi spoke about opposition from Sikh teams to the brand new legislation and expectations from the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Social gathering (AAP) authorities. excerpt:
Akal Takht doesn’t intrude within the enactment of legal guidelines. The federal government is growing legal guidelines instantly associated to Sikhism. As a Jathedar of Akal Takht, it’s my accountability to make sure that no unjust legal guidelines are enacted within the title of faith which will implicate harmless individuals. It’s my responsibility to scrutinize the legislation and be certain that it’s not misused.
* Why do you suppose the legislation is abused?
There are a lot of examples of the legislation being misused. Punjab has witnessed widespread misuse of the Illegal Actions (Prevention) Act and sedition legal guidelines.
We’ve got good motive to imagine that the legislation, particularly on delicate points like blasphemy, may be abused. Due to this fact, any legislation concerning blasphemy will need to have strict safeguards to forestall its weaponization.
*Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann claimed that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) was opposing the legislation as Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) cadres have been concerned in blasphemy instances. Do you suppose the brand new legislation might be misused towards Badals?
I do not suppose this argument is legitimate as a result of the federal government can misuse current legal guidelines towards somebody.
Additionally, the SGPC didn’t oppose the legislation. SGPC Chairman (Harjinder Singh Dhami) even welcomed this as everybody believed that it was launched in good religion to forestall blasphemy incidents.
Nonetheless, on the time the legislation was handed, there was little details about the particular language of the legislation. Once we obtained particulars of the textual content, we discovered provisions that might be critically exploited towards Sikhs. That’s the reason I objected to sure clauses and elements of the textual content.
* The Akal Takht directive makes clergymen and members of gurdwara committees accountable for any desecrations that happen on their premises. Why is there opposition to comparable provisions within the legislation?
Sure, there are current directives, however let’s emphasize the phrase negligence. Incidents could happen as a result of negligence of people reminiscent of clergymen and committee members. In such instances, the person is known as earlier than Akal Takht and instructed to hunt penance by performing Sewa or reciting Gurbani.
This can be a non secular technique of holding individuals accountable for his or her negligence, however underneath the brand new legislation the identical individual might be jailed. That is too harsh a punishment for somebody who had no intention of committing blasphemy.
We should clearly distinguish between those that deliberately commit blasphemy and those that are accused of administrative negligence. The brand new legislation is just too harsh in instances of straightforward negligence.
*There could also be loopholes in any legislation…
Sure, however what I discover most problematic about this explicit legislation is that it focuses fully on the technical points of the crime. It targets solely the quick accused and fails to have a look at the broader phenomenon.
Because the days of Guru Nanak, sure teams have cultivated hatred towards Sikhs. We noticed them in motion throughout the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib in Bargarhi in 2015.
The primary focus of this legislation ought to be on organizations, sects, and leaders who affect believers to commit these acts. For instance, within the 2015 blasphemy try in Moga, Dera Sirsa followers have been punished, however its chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim was not convicted.
We proposed an modification. If the accused is related to a sect or dera that promotes hatred towards Sikhs, we want to see the heads and administration of that sect or dera registered in the identical FIR. With out this provision, this legislation wouldn’t deliver the actual culprits to justice.
* Do you suppose the federal government will act in your ideas?
I do not suppose the federal government has any objections. If the federal government actually needs to finish blasphemy incidents, it wants to incorporate provisions to carry co-conspirators and masterminds legally accountable, in any other case the legislation will grow to be ineffective.
*Why do you say that?
The that means of desecration for Sikhs could be very deep and isn’t restricted to the bodily desecration of Guru Granth Sahib. Even when somebody tries to disrupt the bodily presence of Guru Granth Sahib, it’s blasphemy. Nonetheless, the brand new legislation doesn’t acknowledge such acts as blasphemy.
If the amendments I’ve proposed are included, the police will be capable to arrest not solely the ringleaders but additionally the direct perpetrators.
*Some officers have termed the Akal Takht’s transfer to summon Sikh MLAs over the brand new legislation as “unconstitutional”. what’s your response?
This argument is a product of slim ideological pondering. Such comparisons solely come up within the minds of those that don’t respect variety, historical past, and human habits.
How are you going to evaluate the Akal Takht with the Structure?The Akal Takht is timeless and Sikhs have pledged allegiance to it. The Structure is a doc that outlines how India should be run. Lawmakers can amend the Structure for higher or for worse. There are rumors that it might be mounted once more within the coming months, and nobody ought to have an issue with that course of.
If the Akal Takht summoned Sikhs residing elsewhere on the planet, why ought to it offend anybody outdoors the faith? People who find themselves offended about this are the rationale behind a lot of the issues this nation faces.
