The much-delayed and hotly debated Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2017, popularly known as the ‘Anti-Superstition Bill’, was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
Among other things, it seeks to ban the controversial ‘made snana’ ritual (where devotees roll over plantain leaves that have leftover food) in public/religious places. The Bill, however, does not envisage regulations for astrology or vaastu practices. It primarily aims to protect people against evil and sinister practices and combat inhuman and sinister practices propagated/performed in the name of “supernatural” or black magic. In all, 16 practices are banned under the legislation.
The tabling of the Bill is seen as a fulfilment of the commitment made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to rationalists and activists who have been fighting for a ban on superstitious practices. The Bill had also seen severe opposition, with the BJP and some Hindutva groups calling it “anti-Hindu”.
The Bill was approved in the State Cabinet meeting held on September 27, 2017.
Dharna by BJP
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra tabled the Bill amid a dharna by the BJP members demanding the resignation of Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George in the wake of the CBI filing an FIR against him in the Dy.SP M.K. Ganapathy suicide case.
