Government likely to dilute draft anti-superstition bill

Bengaluru, Jun 29: The state government is likely to water down the controversial draft bill that proposes to ban certain dangerous superstitious practices in the state.

Disclosing this to reporters here on Wednesday, Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa said the Cabinet sub-committee set up to look into the draft bill has recommended modifications to many of the controversial provisions.

The draft bill has been forwarded to the Law department, seeking its clearance. A thorough debate has to be done in the legislature before enacting this legislation, he added.

Thimmappa, who is the chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee, however, did not disclose details of recommendations made by the sub-committee.

The draft bill -- Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifices and Other Inhuman Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2016 -- envisages banning dangerous practices such as human sacrifice, exorcism, black magic, witchcraft, aghori, made snana, rituals with self-inflicting injury, throwing of infants from a height on a bed of thorns, parading women in the naked and sexual exploitation by invoking supernatural powers.

The Cabinet had deferred approving the draft bill many times in the past as it was unable to finalise the list of dangerous practices to be banned. As many as 23 superstitious practices were proposed to be banned. The draft bill has been prepared on the lines of Maharashtra’s law – the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013. Many religious institutions had opposed the draft bill in its original form.

The minister said gullible people are being taken for a ride in the name of gods and ghosts. So, the government wants to ban certain dangerous superstitious practices. But, it is difficult to completely stop animal sacrifice. Efforts will be made to prevent cruelty against animals. However, the draft bill does not propose to ban astrology, vaastu, ajalu, numerology, palmistry, horoscope reading, water divines and kundalini.

Thimmappa expressed concern over deficient monsoon in the state. Only certain places in coastal and north Karnataka regions have received rain. Monsoon is below normal in most parts of the state. The state might witness another drought year if it does not rain in the coming days, he said.

The minister said he has convened a meeting of a Cabinet sub-committee set up to review the drought situation on July 4. If monsoon continues to play truant, the government will take up cloud seeding. A decision in this regard will be taken in the first week of next month, he added.