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Punjab Govt likely to OK bir
printing by SGPC alone
WSN Network
Amritsar: In the
light of several incidents of alleged disrespect to Sri Guru Granth
Sahib, voices to get a law passed to put a blanket ban on printing,
sale and distribution of religious book are getting louder.
Pressure is
being exerted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and
other Sikh bodies so that the Punjab Cabinet under the chairmanship
of Parkash Singh Badal takes a decision on it.
"There is a lot
of anguish, especially after the recent 'exposure' of how the holy
books are transported and sold," said SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar.
He said the SGPC's legal experts' team had submitted a detail draft
in this regard to the government and the law, after the perusal by
the Legal Department, is expected anytime.
Advocate General
HS Mattewal was not available for comments, but sources close to him
said the Cabinet might clear the Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Satkar
Act and there might be an ordinance issued, banning private
publishers from printing the copies of the granth and other
religious books. While the government may face some legal hassles in
the case as the new law would be applicable only to the province and
not outside, the SGPC feels that first it should be implemented in
the state and later could be extended to other parts of the country
with the help from the Centre. "We want the law at the earliest. I
have held meetings on the issue with the CM and now after the recent
incident, a law is a must," said Makkar.
10 October, 2007
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