New Delhi, May 9, 2026 (Bharat Khabarnama Bureau)- Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) chief Paramjit Singh Sarna has denounced Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for refusing to withdraw or amending the controversial sacrilege law despite clear objections raised by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj and several Sikh organisations.
Sarna said Mann’s rigid stand amounted to a direct confrontation with the Akal Takht Sahib and reflected a dangerous disregard for the collective voice of the Sikh Panth.
“Sri Akal Takht Sahib has spoken after consultations with Sikh bodies and Panthic representatives. For Bhagwant Mann to openly defy that position reveals political arrogance of the highest order,” Sarna remarked in a strongly worded statement.
He said history stood witness to the fact that every political power which defied Sri Akal Takht Sahib ultimately lost its grounding forever. “Governments and rulers have come and gone, but no authority that attempted to undermine Sri Akal Takht Sahib retained moral or political legitimacy for long,” he stated.
Sarna said it appeared as though “the ghosts of Mir Mannu and Zakaria Khan have possessed Bhagwant Mann”.
The Panthic leader reiterated that neither the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee nor the Akal Takht Sahib had been consulted before the law was enacted, despite repeated demands from the Jathedar Sahib that the draft legislation be placed before Sikh institutions for consideration.
He further accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of violating the spirit of the Nehru–Tara Singh Pact under which assurances were given that governments would not interfere in Sikh religious affairs or legislate on Sikh matters without SGPC approval.
“Bhagwant Mann has sown the seeds of AAP’s complete rout, not only in Punjab but from the political establishment of the country itself. A government that chooses confrontation over consultation with the Sikh Panth cannot expect the trust or goodwill of the people,” Sarna declared.
Expressing concern over provisions bringing gurdwaras, granthis, SGPC institutions and private custodians within the ambit of the law, Sarna warned that the legislation amounted to state intrusion into Sikh religious affairs.
“This law appears designed, in part, to restrict the spread of Sikhi. With this Act now in place, granthis, parcharchaks and sewadars may increasingly step away from their roles, while others may hesitate to take their place under legislation viewed as openly hostile to their faith and service.”
Calling for Panthic unity, he urged Sikh organisations, gurdwara committees and the wider community to stand firmly behind the directive issued by the Akal Takht Sahib. “The guidance of the Akal Takht Sahib must be honoured in letter and spirit by every Sikh institution and every member of the community,” he said.
Sarna demanded immediate withdrawal of the Act and initiation of consultations with Sikh religious bodies, stating that any attempt to impose legislation upon the Panth through political authority would face complete rejection from the community.
