Anti-superstition bill to be tabled in Maha assembly

The long-pending anti-superstition bill would be tabled in the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislature, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said today.
"We will table the Bill on anti-superstition after discussion with the representatives of the 'varkaris' (devotees of lord Vitthal)," Chavan told reporters here today.
He said that the state Parliamentary Affairs minister Harshavardan Patil and Shashikant Shinde have already met the 'varkaris' to clear their doubts.
The Opposition led by the BJP and Shiv Sena earlier in the day had said that they would oppose the anti-superstition bill.
Maintaining suspense over the tabling of Adarsh Commission report in the Session, which commences tomorrow, he said, "We will table the report at an appropriate time."

He informed that 12 new bills will be tabled during the session while eight ordinances will be converted into bills.

Expressing satisfaction over the rainfall in most parts of the state, he said, "There has been a good rainfall in the several parts of the state. The water stock in Konkan, Amravati and Nagpur has increased. In 277 talukas there has been over 100 per cent rainfall, whereas in 18 talukas there has been less than 75 per cent rainfall."
Chavan also informed that as many as 158 pilgrims from the state who had gone to Uttarakhand were missing.
In all, 2,852 pilgrims have returned, he said.

Meanwhile, opposition parties, namely, Shiv Sena, BJP, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, RPI and the Peasants and Workers Party boycotted the customary tea-party hosted by the chief minister, alleging increasing corruption and "goondaism" in the government.
"We will corner the government over the discrimination in allotment of funds to tackle drought. Large chunk of the fund, meant to tackle drought was taken by Ministers and MLAs from the ruling parties. The Opposition MLAs were not given funds. Even when there was no drought in CM's constituency, he took Rs 16 crore from the drought relief fund," Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Eknath Khadse said at a joint press conference of the opposition parties.

Slamming Home Minister R R Patil over the attack on 1993 Mumbai serial blast accused Abu Salem in a jail, he said, "This proves that even the jails in the state are not safe. Not only Arthur road, but other jails are also not safe. R R Patil should accept moral responsibility on the issue.