Hoshiarpur/Daljeet Ajnoha/July 17 : Shromani Akali Dal leader Sanjeev Talwar strongly criticized the recently tabled bill in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha titled “The Punjab Prevention of Offenses Against Sacred Religious Scriptures Act, 2025.” He stated that the bill fails to include provisions for punishment in cases of sacrilege against the idol and holy scripture Amritvani of Guru Ravidas Ji, the idols of Bhagwan Valmiki Ji, Sant Kabir Ji, and Sant Nabha Das Ji. According to him, this omission is not just a betrayal of the teachings of harmony given by the great saints but also reflects a deep-seated hatred towards the Dalit community.
Talwar further said that the anti-Dalit mindset of the Aam Aadmi Party was exposed back in March 2022 when Arvind Kejriwal had promised that if AAP formed the government in Punjab, a member of the Dalit community would be appointed as Deputy Chief Minister. However, even after three and a half years in power, no such appointment has been made, proving that the promise was merely a vote-gaining tactic.
He also criticized the BJP, stating that despite the glaring gaps in the bill, BJP representatives supported it in the Assembly. This, he claimed, proves their anti-Dalit and anti-Punjab stance. Talwar said that the representatives of political parties who seek votes in the name of Dalits have exposed their real mindset by failing to raise objections against such a major flaw in the bill.
He alleged that Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann, their entire cabinet, and other attending representatives have clearly shown their anti-Dalit mentality by not including provisions for punishment in cases of sacrilege against revered figures of the Ravidasia community, Valmiki community, Kabir Panth, and the Mahasha community.
Issuing a warning, Talwar said that if the Punjab government tries to destroy the spirit of brotherhood in the name of harmony, the consequences will be very serious.
