New Delhi: Following reports of two cases by the state, where men were lynched over the bid of alleged sacrilege, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Monday wrote to the Center demanding the President for two bills passed by the state assembly in 2018. asked to obtain consent. ,
The development comes after two people were lynched to death in Punjab last week for an alleged sabotage attempt. According to news agency PTI, the first incident involved a man attempting to desecrate the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, while in the second incident a man was killed by an angry mob in Kapurthala.
Which are the two bills pending for the assent of the President?
In a letter to Shah, Randhawa sought concurrence on the Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018, and the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018, which provides for life imprisonment for sacrilege of holy books.
“I would like to bring to your attention that sacrilege of sacred texts is becoming a big issue in Punjab,” wrote Randhawa, who holds the Home portfolio. “Sri Guru Granth Sahib is considered by the Sikhs to be a living Guru and not an object and is revered according to Sikh dignity. In this context, it was felt that Sections 295 and 295 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860- The existing provisions of A, which provide for punishment up to three years, are insufficient to deal with this situation.
“Therefore, the Punjab Legislative Assembly passed the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018 and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018, which provides for punishment up to life imprisonment for causing hurt, damage or insult to Mr. Guru Granth Sahib, Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, Holy Quran and Holy Bible with the intention of hurting the religious sentiments of the people,” he wrote.
Considering that the bills were received by the Governor of Punjab in September 2018, it is pending for the assent of the President since October, 2018.
“Punjab being a border state, it is extremely important to maintain communal harmony here. For this, deterrent punishment is necessary for those who try to disturb communal harmony by indulging in sacrilege. Therefore, I again request that the President’s assent for the said Bills be obtained and conveyed to the State Government at the earliest,” he wrote.
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