Cabinet approves anti-superstition Bill

Bengaluru, September 27 It seeks ban on controversial ‘made snana’, but is silent on regulating astrology, vaastu practices. The State Cabinet on Wednesday approved the much-delayed and debated KarnatakaPrevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2017 — better known as the anti-superstition Bill — which seeks to ban among other practices the controversial ‘made snana’ ritual (devotees rolling over plantain leaves having food leftovers) in public/religious places. However, the Bill does not cover regulations for astrology and vaastu practice, piercing of ears and nose of children in accordance with certain rituals, and performance of religious rituals such as ‘Keshlochan’ by the Jains. But, it proposes to ban evil practices such as killing an animal by biting its neck (gaavu). The approval of the Bill is being seen as fulfilling the commitment made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to rationalists, writers, and activists who fought for a ban on superstitious practices. A Cabinet meeting, presided over by Mr. Siddaramaiah cleared the Bill to protect people against evil and sinister practices and to combat and eradicate inhuman, evil, sinister practices propagated/performed in the name of “supernatural” or black magic. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra told presspersons after the Cabinet meeting that the Bill proposed to ban made snana, which is practised at Kukke Subrahmanya temple in Dakshina Kannada district, in violation of human dignity, To be tabled The Bill would be tabled in the next session of the State legislature. The issue over either banning or regulating vaastu and astrology practice was discussed, but no decision was taken, he said. The Bill also encompasses ban on human sacrifice; coercing a person to perform fire-walk at religious festivals; piercing jaw with rods, baibeega practice; pelting stones in the name of banamathi, mata-mantra; creating panic in the minds of the people by invoking ghost or mantras; claiming to perform surgery with fingers, or claiming to change the sex of foetus in the womb. It also seeks to ban practices against women: forcing them to stay in isolation; subjecting them to inhuman and humiliating practices such as parading them naked in the name of worship (betthale save); and sexual exploitation by invoking supernatural powers. Following protests from within the government and outside, the government had amended the intended Bill, which originally had provisions for banning superstitious practices, including astrology and animal sacrifice. Following strong opposition from the BJP and some seers, who described the proposed Bill as “anti-Hindu”, the government deferred the Bill many times. A Cabinet subcommittee, headed by Speaker Kogadu Thimmappa, drafted the Bill that was vetted by the Law Department before placing it before the Cabinet. The Bill proposes appointment of a vigilance officer to monitor violations of the provisions of the law and its rules. Violators of the law will be penalised, with imprisonment of not less than one year and a fine of not less than ₹5,000. Source: The Hindu Published by Sahifa SM