Bhagwant Mann on Sacrilege, Justice, and the Future of Punjab

Bhagwant Mann hammered home his government’s stance on those 2015 sacrilege incidents. He insisted that the people responsible for those acts would face serious punishment and be brought to justice.
He spoke about this during a public meeting in Hoshiarpur, talking about how those events the beadbi at Bargari, and the police firing near Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura just keep haunting Punjab, especially the Sikh community. Those wounds, he said, are still very fresh for everyone.
“Those incidents,” Mann stated, “they bruised the conscience of every Punjabi, particularly the Sikh Sangat. These wounds haven’t healed yet.”
He then pushed on to legal action. His government had passed the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Amendment Act , 2026. This law is designed to bring stringent punishment for anything related to sacrilege offenses.
“We enacted an anti-sacrilege law,” he added. “It sets strict penalties for beadbi. That way, no one dares commit such an unforgivable offense in the future.”
Mann treated the Guru Granth Sahib not just as a book, but something deeper. He called it the spiritual guide, the father figure for Sikhs. Protecting its sanctity, he argued, is everyone’s job. If a government can't guard that honor, then it fails its basic duty to society.
He wasn't holding back when targeting the previous administration. The Shiromani Akali Dal, the party under whose rule those 2015 events took place Mann attacked them hard. He said those who sought votes by invoking Gurbani simply failed to protect the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The people of Punjab remember that pain from their time.
He brought up older history too. When talking about development, he made it clear: you can’t forget Bargari, Behbal Kalan, Kotkapura. Those chapters the sins committed against the people and against the fabric of Punjab they cannot just be wiped away.
Punjab’s history itself felt heavy to him. He reflected on the state's long struggle, since Partition, then 1984, followed by years of exploitation under different governments. He stressed that progress shouldn't stall anymore.
“We can’t let Punjab’s progress stop,” he insisted.
He turned to the youth next. Mann urged the young people here in Punjab not to look overseas for chances. No one should feel stuck dreaming only about Canada or America. Opportunities are right here, in Punjab.
Then there was the welfare part. He highlighted some support measures.
Women over eighteen from Scheduled Caste communities get ₹1,500 a month under the Mavaan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna . Other women receive ₹1,000 monthly assistance too. It’s a sign of respect for mothers and daughters, he said.
Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board
Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.
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