In a massive development, an important Cabinet meeting was held today at the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann's residence. The Punjab Cabinet approved the much-awaited Anti-Sacrilege Bill aimed at tackling desecration of religious texts and places of worship.
With the Cabinet’s nod, the bill is likely to be tabled in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha later today. The move comes amid growing public demand for a stringent law against sacrilege, a sensitive issue that has sparked widespread protests and outrage in the past.
Currently, there is no strict legal provision in Punjab to punish sacrilege with severity. The proposed legislation seeks to impose life imprisonment on individuals found guilty of deliberately desecrating religious scriptures or sacred sites.
The bill also includes provisions to establish special fast-track courts to try sacrilege cases and ensure timely justice. Additionally, convicts under this law will be denied parole, marking a significant step toward a zero-tolerance approach.