Anti-superstition Bill passed, with minor changes

Anti-superstition Bill passed, with minor changes

Context:

The State Legislative Assembly recently passed the Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2017, popularly known as the ‘anti-superstition’ Bill, with minor changes.

Changes introduced in the Bill:

• Stamping of mudra on the body, a practice in the upper caste community (Madhwa Brahmins), has been exempted from the ban, advertisements that offer miracle cures for disease have been banned.
• As per this practice, ‘Mudras’ (dyes) usually made of gold or copper are heated on coal fire and stamped on the body.
• In the change Bill more attention should be given to creating awareness about preventing superstitious in various lower caste communities.
• The proposed law would be a diluted version of an original Bill that had proposed a ban on all forms of unscientific practices.
• The Cabinet will carry a list of practices that would be allowed, and ones that will be controlled or prohibited.
• The legislation was earlier proposed as The Evil, Inhuman and Superstitious Practices Prevention Bill.
• After Omitting the word superstitious, it is now titled the Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practice and Black Magic Bill, 2017.

Reasons for introducing changes:

• It aims to bring social awakening and awareness in the society and create healthy and safe social environment.
• The prohibited practices will be those that violate human dignity.
• The bill seeks to combat and eradicate other such inhuman practices propagated and performed in the name of”black magic” by conman with sinister motive of exploiting the common people, thereby destroying the social fabric in the society.
• It will ban on all forms of unscientific practices.
• It will help in achieving equality in society.
• It primarily aims to protect people against evil and sinister practices and combat inhuman magic.

Issues involved in the Bill:

Some of the proposals under the 2016 Bill that raised the hackles of religious leaders and political parties was the proposal to ban practices such as carrying of swamijis (religious leaders) in palanquins, worshipping at the feet of religious leaders, and Made Snana, a practice popular in Dakshina Kannada where Dalits have to roll on food left over by upper caste people.

Features of the Bill:

• It seeks to ban the controversial ‘made snana’ ritual in public/ religious places.
• The Bill, does not envisage regulations for astrology or vaastu practices.
• The Bill noted that no person shall himself or through any other person commit, promote, propagate or practice or cause to promote propagate or practice inhuman, evil practices and black magic.

Banned practices:

The Bill prohibited activities like:

• Performing any inhuman, evil act and black magic in search of precious things, assaulting any person, parading naked or putting a ban on someone’s daily activities.
• Ill-treatment of women by forcing isolation, prohibiting entry into the village or facilitating segregation of menstruating or        pregnant women; and subjecting women to inhuman and humiliating practices such as parading them naked in the name of worship such as ‘betthale seve’.

Exempted practices

• The Bill has exempted a few practices such as piercing of ears and nose of children in accordance with rituals and performance of religious ritual such as Keshlochan by the Jains and the advice in regard to vashthushashtra, advice by Jyothishya and astrologers.
• The forms of the worship such as pradakshina, yatra, parikarma performed at any religious spiritual places. Harikatha, Keerthana, Pravachana, Bhajana, teaching of ancient and traditional learning and arts, practice, propagation and circulation.
• To state about the miracles of the deceased saints propagation, publicity and circulation of the same and the propagation, publicity and distribution of literature about the miracles of the religious preachers which do not cause physical injury.
• The performance of prayers, upasana and all religious ritual at the places such as home, temple, dargha, gurudwara, pagoda, church and other religious places which do not cause physical injury.

Penalties

• The Bill said any person by himself or through any other person shall constitute an offence under the provisions of this Act shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year but which may extend up to seven years and with a fine which shall not be less than ₹5,000 but which may extend to ₹50,000

Conclusion:

Awareness needs to be created among the public about the ill-effects of superstitions.