Pargat Singh Moves Privilege Motion Against CM Mann Over 2018 Sacrilege Billsਪਰਗਟ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੇ ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਮਾਨ ਖ਼ਿਲਾਫ਼ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਅਧਿਕਾਰ ਮੋਸ਼ਨ ਦਿੱਤਾ, 2018 ਦੇ ਬੇਅਦਬੀ ਬਿੱਲਾਂ ਦਾ ਮਾਮਲਾ

The long running argument over Punjab's anti-sacrilege legislation reached the Vidhan Sabha's privilege process on Thursday. Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh moved a privilege motion against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of misleading the House on the status of the anti-sacrilege bills passed in 2018. The notice was addressed to Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and submitted through Vidhan Sabha Secretary Ram Lok Khatana on the opening day of the Assembly session.

What the notice alleges

According to the notice, the issue goes back to the proceedings of April 13, 2026, when the House was discussing the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Pargat says he asked the Chief Minister about the two 2018 bills, the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018 and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018, and about Mann's meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the matter. He alleges that Mann replied by referring to the action taken by the President on a 2016 bill, and presented that as the answer to a question about the 2018 bills. That, the notice argues, was contrary to the facts and misled the House on important legislative and constitutional questions.

Why 2016 is not 2018, in Pargat's argument

The notice sets out the difference between the two sets of bills in detail. The 2016 bills, passed under the SAD-BJP government, proposed life imprisonment primarily for sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib, and the Centre raised serious constitutional objections, saying they treated religions unequally and went against the principles of equality and secularism. The 2018 bills, passed under the Congress government of Captain Amarinder Singh, applied uniform punishment of up to life imprisonment for sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Bhagavad Gita, the Quran and the Bible, in an attempt to meet those equality objections. Pargat also notes that Mann himself met Shah in December 2022 and specifically demanded Presidential approval for the 2018 bills, which, he argues, makes any confusion between the two sets of bills untenable.

What Pargat has asked the Speaker to do

The notice seeks a prima facie examination of the matter, a clarification from the Chief Minister, and referral of the issue to the Committee of Privileges if the allegations are substantiated. 'It is the government's responsibility to present the facts clearly before the House. If there are discrepancies between the chief minister's statements and official documents, the matter must be investigated impartially and the truth brought before the public,' Pargat said. He added that the people of Punjab have the right to know the current status of the proposed amendments to the anti-sacrilege law and the actual position on the documents sent to the President's office in 2018.

The wider sacrilege law argument

Speaking to reporters outside the House, Pargat also accused the AAP government of backtracking on amendments to the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, despite what he described as a consensus among Punjab MLAs reached in the presence of the Akal Takht Jathedar. He alleged the government was avoiding both the amendments and a discussion of the sensitive issue in the Vidhan Sabha, and was retreating from consultations with Sikh institutions. The 2026 Act was passed unanimously on April 13 and provides for stricter punishment, including life imprisonment for sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib and fines from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh. The Akal Takht has raised objections to parts of the law, including some Sikh terminology, the idea of a 'custodian' of the religious text, and assigning unique numbers to holy Birs. The state government has not yet responded publicly to the privilege notice.

What does the privilege motion allege?

It alleges that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann misled the Vidhan Sabha on April 13, 2026, by answering a question about the 2018 anti-sacrilege bills with the Presidential action taken on the separate 2016 bill.

How are the 2016 and 2018 bills different?

The 2016 bills centred on sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib and drew Centre objections on equality grounds. The 2018 bills applied uniform punishment of up to life imprisonment across the Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Quran and Bible.

What has Pargat Singh asked for?

He has asked the Speaker for a prima facie examination, a clarification from the Chief Minister, and referral to the Committee of Privileges if the facts confirm that the House was misled.

What happens next?

The notice now sits with the Speaker's office. Any examination, clarification or committee referral would follow the process Pargat has requested in the notice; the government has not yet responded publicly.