Punjab Government’s Apathy Exposed by Supreme Court’s Verdict on Anand Marriage Act
AMRITSAR: BJP Punjab Spokesperson and Sikh thinker Prof. Sarchand Singh Khiala said that according to the family account of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, one of his ancestors had the privilege of serving Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and the Guru, pleased with his devotion, blessed him with the sacred relics – the ‘Jora Sahib’. These relics have been preserved with deep reverence by the Puri family for over three centuries. Now, as a senior family member wishes to make them available for the Sangat’s darshan, Hardeep Singh Puri has placed this matter before Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Prof. Khiala emphasized that these priceless relics, associated with Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj and Mata Sahib Kaur Ji, are sacred religious heritage of the Sikh Panth. While forwarding the Sikh leaders’ committee recommendations regarding their preservation and display to the Prime Minister is commendable, Prof. Khiala asserted that as a Sikh, he believes these relics should not be reduced to mere display objects in a government museum or exhibition. “For Sikhs, this is a matter of deep faith and reverence. Only those institutions that follow the Guru Ghar traditions and Sikh Rehat Maryada are worthy of their care and preservation. Hence, these relics must be entrusted to Sikh Panthic institutions, ” he said.
He clarified that if the Puri family is no longer in a position to maintain the relics as per Sikh Maryada, then this sacred responsibility should immediately be handed over to the Sikh community. Appealing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prof. Khiala said the responsibility of care and respectful display of the ‘Jora Sahib’ should be entrusted to either the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), or the Takht Sri Patna Sahib Committee. “The government must not delay and should take an immediate decision on this sensitive matter, ” he urged.
Meanwhile, Prof. Khiala welcomed the Supreme Court’s historic verdict directing all states and union territories to notify rules for registration of marriages under the Anand Marriage Act within four months.
He said this decision grants legal and constitutional recognition to Sikh religious practices and further strengthens Sikh identity.
Prof. Khiala, however, expressed anguish that Punjab – the homeland of Sikhs and the state with the highest Sikh population – has still not notified the rules under the Anand Marriage Act. While states like Delhi, Haryana, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and others have already implemented these rules, Punjab’s AAP government has failed to do so. “This negligence is not only an injustice to Sikh rights but also exposes the insensitivity of the Punjab government, ” he said.
He questioned, “Why has Punjab, the very center of Sikh faith, not yet framed the rules for registration of Sikh marriages? Is this not a betrayal of Sikh identity and sentiments?”
Prof. Khiala urged the Punjab government to immediately notify the rules under the Anand Marriage Act, stressing that granting legal recognition to Sikh marriages is essential for safeguarding the constitutional rights of the community. He concluded, “The Supreme Court’s verdict is a message of victory for the Sikh Panth. Now it is the real test of the Punjab government – whether it stands with the rights of Sikhs or continues to hurt Sikh sentiments.”