Chandigarh, June 28 -- All Sikh MLAs and Cabinet ministers will appear before the Akal Takht, which summoned them on June 29 regarding the anti-sacrilege law, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Sunday.
His statement came after a closed-door meeting with the party MLAs in Amritsar to decide the course of action in view of the directions of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. Our MLAs and ministers will go there and present their sides in writing, Mann said while speaking to reporters in Amritsar.
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, on June 15, had summoned all Sikh MLAs, regardless of party affiliation, and the Sikh ministers before the Akal Takht on June 29 regarding the anti-sacrilege law. Non-Sikh cabinet ministers have been asked to submit their views in writing on the matter before 29 June.
The Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had raised objections to the anti-sacrilege law -- Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026 -- saying it was enacted without consulting the Sikh Panth.
The Akal Takht had earlier asked the state government to remove provisions from the anti-sacrilege Act which are "against the Guru Granth Sahib, the Khalsa Panth and the sentiments of the 'Sangat' (Sikh community)."
Already, Sikh MLAs of other parties have confirmed that they would appear before the Akal Takht.
Replying to a question whether he will appear before the Akal Takht, the chief minister said he has not been summoned.
"Our MLAs and cabinet ministers will present the government side. Punjab Assembly Speaker (Kultar Singh Sandhwan) will also go. Whatever suggestions come from the Akal Takht or SGPC, we will discuss the same," said Mann, who was accompanied by AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.