Belagavi: Four and half years after the idea was supported by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Karnataka government on Tuesday tabled the Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2017- popularly known as the "anti-superstition" Bill - which seeks to ban among other practices the controversial 'Made-made snana' ritual (devotees rolling over plantain leaves having food leftovers) in public/religious places.
The Bill, however, does not cover astrology and vaastu practice, piercing of ears and nose of children in accordance with certain rituals, and performance of religious rituals such as 'Keshlochan' by the Jains. But, it proposes to ban evil practices such as killing an animal by biting its neck (gaavu).
The Bill proposes to ban 'Made-made snana', which is practiced at Kukke Subrahmanya temple in Dakshina Kannada district, in violation of human dignity. The bill classifies 16 practices as inhuman, including assaulting a person on the pretext of exorcism; claiming to change the sex of a foetus in the womb; 'betthale seve', where women are paraded naked; 'urulu seve', where people are made to roll over leaves with leftover food and 'Sidi', where people are hung from trees using hooks drilled into their backs.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T. B. Jayachandra tabled the Bill amidst a dharna by the BJP members demanding resignation of Bengaluru Development Minister K. J. George in the wake of CBI filing an FIR against him in the Dy SP M. K. Ganapathi suicide case.
According to the Bill Pradakshina, yatras, parikramas performed at religious places will not come under the purview of the proposed law, along with vaastu and astrology,
The Bill also proposes that an injury to a person subjected to black magic and hoodoo, will be deemed as attempted murder. The bill includes measures against human sacrifice, witchcraft, exorcism, parading women naked and sexual exploitation in the name of supernatural powers.
The tabling of the Bill is being seen as fulfilling the commitment made by the CM to rationalists, writers, and activists who fought for a ban.
Following protests from within the government and outside, the government had amended the original Bill, which had provisions for banning astrology and animal sacrifice. The tabling of the Bill was deferred several times following opposition from the BJP and some seers, who described the proposed Bill as "anti-Hindu". The Bill proposes appointment of police officers as vigilance officers to monitor violations of the rules.
