THE AESTHETICS OF ANTI-SUPERSTITIONS LAW

Hello Friends
Since the Anti-Superstition law, to fight against superstitious practices has been passed, let us know some things about it, but what wonder is it's not that much prevalent and needs to be made stricter and also should be seeking forward for arrest and imprisonment of such frauds sadhu, saints and mahatmas as well!

Source:- "Pleaders, Times of India"

"Recently, the Maharashtra State Legislature passed the much publicized Anti- Superstition Bill. Maharashtra became the first state in the country to pass a bill to combat practices like black magic. In India, people believe a lot in tantriks and babas and most of these babas are frauds and earn money in millions on the basis of promised miracles and health cures. This amended bill was drafted by the Social Welfare Ministry of the Maharashtra Government. A police officer of any rank has the power to investigate cases of black magic. This bill was originally drafted some 17 years ago by one social activist Narendra Dabholkar who felt the need to bring in a law to combat things like black magic and exorcism. In 1989, Dr. Narendra Dabholkar founded the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) with a few like-minded people and raised his voice against superstition, irrational practices, blind faith and beliefs. Dr Dabholkar was murdered some three months ago in Pune allegedly by people who opposed his ideology and this is when the Government swung into action and brought in the draft of the bill in the Legislative Assembly. This draft was amended and now passed by the State Legislature. The Bill has been titled Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, the bill was tabled in the assembly by social justice minister Shivajirao Moghe, and was passed by voice vote after a two-day discussion. The Bill faced severe opposition from the saffron or Hindu Nationalist parties in 2005 when they termed it as an Anti- Hindu Bill. The opposition- mainly the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party had opposed the bill since 2004, when it was first passed.

The bill seeks to criminalise practices related to black magic, human sacrifices, use of magic remedies to cure ailments and other such acts which exploit people’s superstitions. The amended bill, which is also supported by the BJP excludes at least seven religious rituals and practices from its purview. Many extremist organisations like the Hindu Jagran Samiti, Abhinav Bharat and Sanatan Sanstha vehemently objected to any such law being passed and were abusive of Dr. Dabholkar in the strongest of language.  The assembly was careful to exempt many common religious or cultural practices, including consulting astrologers or palm readers, preaching from ancient Hindu scriptures or mythology, or fasting or flagellation during the Muslim holiday of Muharram. In the present bill, there is a clause which allows only the victim or his/her family members to file a complaint. No third party person can file a complaint and this is being contested by activists."