Chandigarh: Former IPS officer and senior Congress leader Grinder Singh Dhillon has raised serious concerns over the alleged application of the Punjab Satkar Act in recent FIRs involving damage to Gutkas and other religious scriptures, warning that any incorrect use of the law could create unnecessary tensions and disturb peace in the state.
Responding to an article published in The Indian Express by reporter Divya Goyal, Dhillon said that if all four FIRs mentioned in the report indeed contain provisions of the Satkar Act, it is a matter of grave concern. He stated that such action either reflects a serious misunderstanding of the law or an attempt by vested interests to create an avoidable law-and-order situation in Punjab.
Dhillon maintained that the legal position is clear and that the Satkar Act is specifically intended to deal only with acts of sacrilege or damage relating to the Saroop (Bir) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. According to him, the Act does not extend to Gutkas, other Sikh religious scriptures, or the sacred scriptures of any other religion. He added that such cases are governed by the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 299 wherever applicable, while a separate legislative framework for other scriptures is presently under consideration.
He urged the Punjab Government and the Punjab Police to immediately issue clear instructions to all district police units that the Satkar Act should not be invoked in cases involving Gutkas or other religious scriptures outside the Act’s defined scope. Such clarity, he said, is essential for the proper implementation of the law and to maintain public confidence in the justice system.
Expressing concern over recent developments, Dhillon said there appeared to be motivated individuals attempting to create circumstances in which police officials are either compelled or persuaded to invoke the Satkar Act where it has no legal application. If such attempts continue, he warned, they could generate unnecessary fear among the Sikh community and create avoidable tensions across Punjab.
Dhillon appealed to the Chief Minister of Punjab, the Home Secretary, and Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav to examine the issue on priority. He pointed out that demands for invoking the Satkar Act in incidents involving damage to Gutkas surfaced only after the notification of the 2026 amendment, adding that whether this is a coincidence or part of a larger pattern deserves careful scrutiny.
He also appealed to any individuals or groups allegedly attempting to exploit the issue to immediately desist, saying that no one has the right to endanger Punjab’s peace and communal harmony for personal, ideological, or political reasons. The rule of law and the stability of the state, he said, must remain paramount.
Concluding his statement, Dhillon requested the DGP to direct supervisory officers to review all such FIRs and, wherever the Satkar Act has been incorrectly invoked, to ensure appropriate supervisory case diary entries are made and necessary legal corrections carried out. He said that a clear direction from the DGP’s office could prevent unnecessary controversy and unrest.
Recalling the unrest witnessed in Punjab in 2015, Dhillon stressed that every effort should be made to ensure that similar circumstances are never allowed to recur.