The Kerala government will soon push its draft anti-superstitions legislation for discussion, before moving it.
The working draft of the Kerala Exploitation by Superstition (Prevention) Act, 2014 says all acts “purported to be undertaken invoking supernatural or magical powers, with the intention of obtaining wrongful gratification’’ will be made accountable as “exploitation by superstition.”
The draft seeks to make all offences under the Act cognisable and non-bailable. It aims to cover all elements involved in invoking supernatural powers for any kind of gratification, including monetary or of a sexual nature, A. Hemachandran, Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) who had worked on the draft, told The Hindu. The draft emphasises that the definition of gratification will not be restricted to just money, but will cover all forms of sexual gratification as well.
The draft has, however, carefully excluded all traditional ceremonies, rituals and practices either associated with places of worship or with different faiths.
However, the Act will not come into play in cases such as someone offering “holy water” promising to cure a disease without taking any gratification, he added.
The draft penal provisions include up to three years in jail and a fine of Rs. 50,000 if the injury caused is “simple hurt or harm to the reputation or mind, which would go up to 3 to 7 years in jail and fine up to Rs.2,00,000 in case of “grievous hurt or harm to property.’’
