Under attack from within his party Congress and outside, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clarified on Saturday that the proposed Karnataka Prevention of Superstition Practices Bill 2013 would be introduced after discussing its pros and cons.
Speaking to the mediapersons in coastal Mangalore, he said, “The National law School of India University (NlSIU), which was tasked with preparation of anti-superstitious Bill, has given us two drafts and they are being reviewed. We have not started discussions yet.”
The Opposition BJP had come down heavily on the proposed Bill that was planned to be introduced in the ensuing Assembly session and accused Siddaramaiah of playing appeasement and vote bank politics ahead of general elections 2014. The BJP had also said the proposed Bill was hurting the sentiments of Hindus and challenged the Chief Minister to include Muslims and other religions under the purview of this Bill.
State BJP president Prahlad Joshi had maintained that some of the beliefs are age-old practices and the Government has no right to ban them through legislation. He said, “Practices like paada puja, (foot worship), adda pallaki (people carrying a seer in a procession) and guddali pooja (ground-breaking ceremony) have been practised since time immemorial. The Congress Government is trying to wipe out faith and religious practices of Hindus in the name of fighting superstition. How can the Government ban all theseIJ” The BJP had decided to oppose the Bill if it was tabled in the ensuing session of the Karnataka Assembly.
According to sources, the proposed Bill, besides banning some evil practices, proposes the setting up of Karnataka Anti-Superstition Authority at the State-level, and vigilance committees on superstitious practices in districts for prevention and control of superstitious practices and protection of those exposed to their ill-effects.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader B Janardhana Poojary had also asked the State Government not to table the Bill as it will hurt religious sentiments of the people. Talking to newspersons in Mangalore on Friday, Poojary had said the draft Bill, proposed to be tabled in the legislature session in Belgaum, questions beliefs, such as harake (vows), taken at a religious place.
He had said, “The Bill affects all sections of society. It will disturb peace. Having such a Bill was not in our manifesto. I request the Chief Minister not to go ahead with the Bill.”