Punjab Beadbi History: 129 Cases During Militancy, 597 Registered in the Political Era

Punjab endured years of violence during the 1980s and 1990s, yet the state's faith and reverence for Guru Granth Sahib remained intact. The issue of beadbi (sacrilege), which continues to dominate public and political discourse today, traces its roots back to that turbulent period. While relatively fewer cases were reported during the years of militancy, the number of incidents has increased considerably in the political era, making the issue a recurring point of debate in Punjab. According to official records, 129 beadbi cases were registered between 1981 and 1999. The highest number was recorded in 1982 with 53 cases, followed by 30 cases in 1983 and 27 cases in 1984. No beadbi case was reported in Punjab between 1988 and 2015. The issue resurfaced on June 1, 2015, following an incident in Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village in Faridkot district. Operation Blue Star is widely regarded as one of the most significant incidents associated with sacrilege in Punjab's history. The operation included an attack on a sacred religious site and the destruction by fire of the Sikh Reference Library, events that continue to hold deep significance for the Sikh community. During the years of militancy, miscreants allegedly attempted to create communal tensions in several towns across the Majha and Doaba regions by throwing objectionable items near places of worship belonging to different religious communities. A similar incident was reported in Malerkotla in 1980. Another major incident occurred on February 2, 1986, in Nakodar, where unidentified miscreants set five saroops (holy copies) of Guru Granth Sahib on fire. When members of the Sikh community began taking the damaged saroops to Sri Goindwal Sahib in accordance with religious tradition, security forces opened fire. The firing resulted in the deaths of four Sikh youths. Subsequently, the Justice Gurnam Singh Commission was constituted, and its report was made public. However, the incident is still regarded by many as lacking complete justice. The beadbi controversy once again drew statewide attention in 2015, when pages of Guru Granth Sahib were found scattered in Bargari. Even after 11 years, justice in that case remains unresolved. Since then, the issue has featured prominently in almost every major election in Punjab. Official figures show that 2015 recorded the highest annual total of 65 beadbi cases. Between June 2015 and December 2025, the Punjab Police registered 597 beadbi cases, indicating that such incidents have continued to occur almost every year. In an effort to strengthen legal action against such offences, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government passed the Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act in the Punjab Legislative Assembly on April 13, 2026. The law provides for stricter punishment for those found guilty of beadbi-related offences. With limited time remaining before the next Punjab Assembly elections, the beadbi issue is once again emerging as a central political topic across the state. Nirankari Controversy: 65 Cases Registered The period of militancy also witnessed 65 cases related to attacks on the Nirankari community, a controversy that is widely considered to have contributed to the beginning of the violent phase in Punjab. The Sikh community viewed the 'Avtar Bani', propagated by the Nirankari Mission, as an insult to the Sikh Gurus. During the April 13, 1978 clash, 13 members of the Sikh community lost their lives. This was followed by the assassination of Baba Gurbachan Singh, head of the Nirankari Mission, on April 24, 1980. Subsequently, attacks on Nirankari buildings and gatherings increased. Records show that 22 cases of attacks on Nirankaris were registered in 1983, while 11 cases were recorded in 1984. During this period, the Akal Takht also issued a directive instructing Sikhs not to maintain relations with the Nirankari community.