The sacred Guru Granth Sahib has once again become the focal point of political discourse in Punjab, with a new controversy threatening to eclipse the long-standing Bargari sacrilege issue. As the state inches closer to the 2027 assembly elections, the case of 328 missing saroops (volumes) of the holy scripture has been thrust into the political limelight, potentially reshaping electoral strategies and alliances.
From Bargari to Missing Saroops: The Shifting Political Landscape
The Bargari sacrilege and the Behbal Kalan police firing cases of 2015 had dominated Punjab's politics for nearly a decade. These incidents were instrumental in the electoral downfall of the Badals-led Shiromani Akali Dal and later contributed to the unseating of then Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh in the run-up to the 2022 polls. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) skillfully capitalized on the public demand for justice, promising swift action and even inducting former IG Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, the investigating officer in the Kotkapura firing case, into their ranks.
However, justice in the 2015 cases remains elusive. The trial, shifted from Faridkot to Chandigarh, is proceeding at a snail's pace. Victims and Sikh organizations have repeatedly expressed frustration, alleging a denial of justice. Interestingly, even AAP MLA Kunwar Vijay Partap has now turned critic, accusing his own party's government of failing to deliver on its promises.
The New Centerpiece: 328 Missing Saroops and Political Maneuvering
While the Bargari issue had receded to the margins, the December 7, 2023 registration of an FIR by Amritsar police regarding 328 missing saroops has ignited a fresh political firestorm. The arrest of chartered accountant and former SGPC employee S S Kohli in connection with the case provided the ruling AAP with a potent new issue. The party has aggressively pushed this to the centrestage, a move seen by many as an attempt to control the narrative ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has reacted strongly, terming the police action as interference in its affairs and a challenge to the authority of the Akal Takht. Despite this, the AAP government's narrative appears undented. SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami has accused the AAP regime of failing on the Bargari justice front, but these criticisms have so far been only passing references in his recent addresses.
Opposition Voices and the Elusive Quest for Justice
The political opposition's stance on these sensitive religious issues has been mixed. While Congress leaders like Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sukhpal Singh Khaira have previously questioned their own party's and the current AAP government's handling of the sacrilege cases, vocal criticism has diminished. Khaira recently accused the AAP government of a criminal betrayal of the Sikh Panth for failing to deliver justice after over four years in power.
From the Akali camp, SAD (Revived) president Giani Harpreet Singh questioned the silence of the Sukhbir Badal-led SAD on the 2015 cases. This highlights the internal and external political complexities where every party is navigating the treacherous waters of religious sentiment and electoral calculus.
As Punjab enters another pre-election year, the political axis has pivoted from Bargari to the missing saroops. The AAP government's handling of this new case, juxtaposed against its unfinished promise of justice for the 2015 sacrilege, will likely be a defining theme. For the electorate, particularly the Sikh community, the core demand remains unchanged: tangible justice and respect for religious sanctity, promises that have so far remained largely unfulfilled across political regimes.
