Sangrur/Chandigarh: Sikh Jatha Malwa, an organization engaged in the service of the Guru Khalsa Panth, has said that seeking amendments to the laws enacted by governments regarding the respect and sanctity of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is contrary to Sikh principles. In a written statement issued on July 28, the organization demanded that both the Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2008 and the Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026 be repealed.

The statement said that “reverence for the Guru is paramount for every Sikh, and Sikhs remain committed to upholding it through constant effort and prayer. The Khalsa is sovereign, divinely ordained, and responsible for ensuring justice for all. At Nanded Sahib, the Tenth Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, bestowed the eternal Guruship of Sri Guru Granth Sahib upon the Khalsa Panth. The Khalsa Panth and Sri Guru Granth Sahib are inseparable and complementary, and the glory of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is manifested in the world through the Khalsa Panth. Therefore, decisions regarding the care, management, and reverence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib can only be taken by the Guru Khalsa Panth through Sri Akal Takht Sahib.”

The statement further said that on April 13, 2026, the Punjab Government amended the Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2008, introducing several new provisions. The issue has been under discussion within Sikh circles for the past several months. According to the organization, Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) have adopted an approach of seeking amendments to the law rather than demanding its repeal.

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It said that attempting to amend the Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, instead of seeking its complete repeal, is a flawed approach that does not befit the dignity of the Khalsa. The statement argued that asking another authority to protect the Guru, investigate violations concerning the Guru, or deliver justice amounts to undermining the supreme authority and dignity of Akal Takht Sahib. It maintained that Akal Takht Sahib exists to make its own decisions in matters concerning the Khalsa Panth, not to negotiate amendments to laws enacted by secular authorities. It also said that Akal Takht Sahib is the highest institution representing the sovereign authority of the Khalsa Panth and should not become a platform for electoral or political conflicts. The organization called upon the global Sikh community to firmly oppose such an approach.

According to Sikh Jatha Malwa, a narrative has been deliberately promoted in recent years suggesting that Sikhs have not received justice in cases involving desecration or disrespect of the Guru. The organization said this claim is not supported by facts, asserting that those responsible for several such incidents have already been punished in accordance with Khalsa traditions and that, by the Guru’s grace, wrongdoers will continue to face justice.

The statement added that governments are free to enact whatever laws they consider necessary to maintain public order and justice, but matters relating to the reverence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib should remain under the authority of the Guru Khalsa Panth through decisions taken at Akal Takht Sahib and resolved according to Khalsa traditions. It further claimed that history provides no example where the Indian state has delivered satisfactory justice in matters concerning the sanctity of the Guru.

The organization warned that approving the Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, after making only a few amendments would be a serious mistake, saying that compromises made today would become difficult to reverse in the future. It urged Sikhs to place their trust in the Guru rather than in worldly institutions, draw guidance from Khalsa traditions and history, preserve the dignity of the Guru and the Khalsa, and ensure that both the 2008 and 2026 Acts are repealed.

⇒ Copy of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026