Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday promised that the long-pending law against superstitious practices would be introduced within this year-end, even as he made a case for “drawing a demarcating line between faith and superstition.”
Responding in the Legislative Assembly to objections raised by Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar on the ‘parjanya homa’ (ritual to appease rain gods) performed by Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil, he said: “It is necessary to draw a line of demarcation between faith and superstition. Anything that encourages and promotes exploitation of society is superstition. But faith is personal and it will not harm society in any manner. For instance, somebody visiting Tirupati or performing a puja will not harm society.”
When Mr. Shettar chided him over the pending Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifices and other Inhuman Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2016, Mr. Siddaramaiah said: “The Congress government will table the Bill at the earliest, before the end of the year.”
When Mr. Shettar questioned the “socialist credentials” of Mr. Siddaramaiah for defending Mr. Patil, who performed the parjanya homa at Bhagamandala and Mahabaleshwar, the Chief Minister said: “Personally, I am against conducting homa to appease rain gods. But it is the personal belief of Mr. Patil. He spent his money in the interest of the State.”
Turning the tables on the Opposition BJP, he asked: “Are you opposed to performing puja?” To this, MLA and former Minister C.T. Ravi said he did not have any objection to Mr. Patil performing a puja, but was surprised by Mr. Siddaramaiah defending Mr. Patil.
