SIT to be formed in cases related to sacrilege of religious books in Punjab

Chandigarh, August 29: Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed the resolution to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe in the cases related to sacrilege of religious books.

 

The resolution was moved by Punjab Cabinet minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa when he was giving his reply on a discussion on the Justice Ranjit Singh report over the incidents of sacrilege of religious books. While Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh assured the house that SIT will be formed and time-bound investigation would be marked to book the culprits. He said that those responsible for the incidents would not be spared.

This comes after the opposition demanded action against the former Chief Minister, then Director General of Police Sumedh Singh Saini and other police officers, which were held responsible for the incidents of firing on people protesting against the sacrilege of Shri Guru Granth Sahib. The opposition had also demanded to take back inquiry from CBI earlier recommended by the Chief Minister.

Earlier, Punjab cabinet approved amendments to CrPC and IPC to make sacrilege of all religious texts punishable with life imprisonment. The decision was taken for maintaining communal harmony in the state.

According to the amendment, “whoever causes injury, damage or sacrilege to Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Srimad Bhagwad Geeta, Holy Quran and Holy Bible with the intention to hurt the religious feelings of the people, shall be punished with imprisonment for life” under Section 295AA to the Indian Penal Code (IPC).