Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra on Sunday said that the State government has not constituted any committee to draft an anti-superstition bill and the two draft of the bill submitted to the government were not final.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Mr. Jayachandra said that the draft contain only the opinion and suggestions of the Karnatak Law University and the National Law School of India University to the anti-superstition bill and that cannot be final.He said that all superstitious beliefs and practices of all communities, including Hindu, Islam and Christianity, will be brought under the bill. He said that the bill is not targeting Hindus as accused by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular). He accused leaders of the BJP and the Janata Dal(S) of misleading the people by twisting the real objective of the bill.
He said that the State government will not take any decision in haste to implement the bill and the bill will be discussed in public forums and all court judgments in this connection will be considered before making it a law. He said that an internal committee, led by secretary-level officers of the Law Ministry, the Social Welfare Department and administrative division, will discuss the bill. He said that there are vested interests in all communities who exploit the people in the name of beliefs. He said that he did not believe that the implementation of the law can prevent all superstitious practices in the State but it will definitely create awareness among the people.
He said, “I am a Hindu and I believe in Hindu religion” and “why should I target Hindu religion”.
He agreed that fluoride content in drinking water in Pavagada taluk in Tumkur district is more than the permissible limits. He said that on a temporary basis, units that help remove fluoride in drinking water will be established in the taluk under public-private-partnership to provide safe drinking water. The maintenance of these units will be given to private agencies as many of the units are not functional.
On a permanent basis, water will be provided to the taluk with the implementation of the Upper Bhadra and the Yettinahole projects.
