Maharashtra promulgates Ordinance against superstition, black magic

Self-styled godmen can now be punished for preying on people by claiming to offer magical cures and propagating black magic

Four days after the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, the Maharashtra government on Saturday promulgated an Ordinance against superstition, black magic and blind faith. Among other things, the law seeks to make it punishable for self-styled godmen to prey on people by offering rituals, charms, magical cures and propagating black magic.

As reported by Business Standard, state cabinet had decided on August 21, a day after Dabholkar's killing in Pune, not to wait for the passage of the anti-superstition Bill in the legislature, but promulgate an Ordinance. Thereafter, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan submitted the Ordinance for K Sankaranarayanan’s approval.

"The Ordinance has been promulgated today,'' a state government official told Business Standard. However, he admitted it would be the responsibility of the state government to hold debate and get the Bill passed in the winter session, slated to begin on December 9. The Congress-led government had failed to take up the Bill during the recently concluded monsoon session of the state legislature in view of reservations expressed by opposition members and also following opposition from various organisations. Dabholkar had attended practically every session of the state legislature since 2003 to lobby for the passage of the Bill. Incidentally, the Bill had gone through several drafts and nearly 29 amendments.

The Bill was passed by the state assembly in December 2005 and it was later sent to the state council for its approval. However, following a heated debate, the Bill was referred to a joint committee of the state legislature. Subsequently, the Bill was lapsed after the new assembly came into existence in 2009.

Thereafter, the Bill, in a new format, was again moved in August 2011 in the state assembly, but it never was discussed due to opposition.