Sacrilege Bill: Punjab Gears Up for Tougher Penalties
Punjab is set to introduce a stringent new bill on Friday, July 11, 2025, proposing a significant increase in penalties for sacrilege. The draft legislation could include up to 10 years imprisonment for offenders.
The state government has announced plans for extensive public and stakeholder consultations before the bill is finalised and enacted into law.
This move follows growing public demand for stronger action against sacrilege incidents. The special assembly session convened to address this issue may be extended to accommodate further deliberations.
In a separate development, the Punjab government will withdraw its consent for the deployment of central forces at the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). This decision is expected to heighten tensions with the central government.
The proposed amendments to the sacrilege laws and the withdrawal of consent for central forces deployment at BBMB are likely to have significant political ramifications in the coming weeks, potentially impacting inter-state relations and the ongoing discourse on religious harmony in the region.
