Sukhraj Singh Niamiwala, a prominent face of the Behbal Kalan Insaf Morcha and son of 2015 police firing victim Bhai Bhagwan Singh, has come out in support of the new anti-sacrilege bill passed by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
Speaking to The Tribune, Niamiwala stated that outrightly rejecting the bill without thoroughly reading or understanding its contents is incorrect. He emphasized that the ruling Punjab government has taken a significant step toward fulfilling the promise made in its election manifesto regarding strict laws against sacrilege.
Niamiwala urged opposing factions to adopt a cooperative approach rather than rejecting the legislation in its entirety. He stated that if there are any loopholes or areas of concern, stakeholders should work with the government to address them.
While backing the core intent of the bill, he suggested that the Punjab government should remain flexible. If certain sections require rectification or further clarity, the government should incorporate minor amendments to make the law foolproof.
He said that the passage of this bill is a fulfillment of the government’s commitment to the people of Punjab, who have long demanded stringent punishment for acts of sacrilege against religious scriptures. The issue of sacrilege (Beadbi) remains deeply sensitive in this area since the 2015 Burj Jawahar Singh Wala and Bargari incidents, where Sukhraj Singh’s father lost his life during peaceful protests at Behbal Kalan. While some quarters have raised legal or administrative concerns over the newly passed bill, Niamiwala claimed that the victim families and core activists favour strengthening the law through constructive feedback rather than scraping the legislative effort altogether