Road To Blasphemy : Sacrilege To Get Life Term in Punjab

The Punjab assembly unanimously passed the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment Bill), 2018 and The Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018, which seek 10 years’ term to life imprisonment for those who commit sacrilege reports The Tribune.

The two Bills aim to enact Section 295-AA for imprisonment of 10 years (under IPC) and life term (under CrPC) for injuring, causing any damage or sacrilege to Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Quran and Bible, with the intention to hurt religious sentiments.

The offences will be cognisable and non-bailable. The move was necessitated by attempts in the recent past to disturb peace and communal harmony by committing sacrilege of holy books of all religions said the government supporting the bill.

The withdrawal of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Indian Penal Code ) Bill, 2016 and the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016, which were passed in the 12th Session of 14th Vidhan Sabha in 2016, was also approved.

Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said that the Central Government had returned the 2016 Bill, citing that the bill was against the secular tenets of the Constitution. “Thus, we have included all religions in the new section, and the law passed will be sent to the Government of India for approval,” he added.