Navjot Sidhu’s ‘publicly hang those guilty of sacrilege’ remark triggers furore

A row broke out on Monday over a comment by Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, who demanded public execution for those found guilty of sacrilege, amid simmering tensions in the state over two alleged desecration attempts in two days.

Sidhu had made the remarks at a public meeting in Malerkotla on Sunday, a day after a man was beaten to death for committing sacrilege inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

“If any incident of sacrilege takes place -- be it of the Quran Sharif, the Bhagavad Gita or the Guru Granth Sahib -- the culprits should be publicly hanged, should be given the maximum punishment under the Constitution because such incidents hurt our sentiments,” said Sidhu.

“Anyone can make a mistake, but this is not a mistake, this is a conspiracy to weaken and finish the society,” he added.

Tensions in Punjab flared on Saturday after an unidentified man jumped over the railings of the Golden Temple, picked up a sword and approached the priest who was reciting evening prayers. The man was caught by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) task force members and beaten to death by angry pilgrims.

A day later, a man, who is believed to be in his 20s and a migrant worker, allegedly disrespected the Nishan Sahib (a Sikh flag) in Kapurthala. Police said the man attempted to flee but was caught by gurdwara volunteers and later brutally thrashed.

Sacrilege is an emotive issue in Punjab, which goes to the polls early next year and where multiple incidents of desecration of the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, were reported in 2015.

Sidhu’s comments sparked condemnation from civil society members.

Former president of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association, Baltej Singh, said politicians should refrain from making such statements. “The statement is in poor taste and should be condemned. Who is Sidhu to say so? Life either is taken by God or has to be taken by following due process of law,” he added.

“Opportunistic politicians who play this dangerous game of pleasing communities and justifies barbaric lynching are a curse to our society,” tweeted film director Onir.