BANGALORE: Almost a year since it was mooted, the Karnataka Prevention of Superstitions Practices Bill, 2013, it appears, has got the evil eye. After opposition from the BJP and right-wing organizations, the Siddaramaiah government has quietly buried the bill, for now.

The bill, among other things, proposes death sentence for human sacrifice in the name of black magic. It was kept in abeyance in November 2013 following objections from the BJP and murmurs within the Congress party too. Later, it was forwarded to the Karnataka Law Commission for its opinion. Sources in the parliamentary affairs department maintain the commission is yet to do so.

It was widely speculated the bill would be introduced in the July legislature session. It appears now that the government has decided to play safe by putting it in cold storage. However, the government is also under pressure from a section of organizations and writers like Devanuru Mahadeva to get the bill passed.

Though the BJP has termed the bill as anti-Hindu, law and parliamentary affairs minister TB Jayachandra said: "The bill is not against any religion. As there were reactions and objections raised to the bill, the government has forwarded it to the law commission for its opinion."

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) was tasked with preparation of the draft bill after Maharashtra enacted the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Ordinance following the killing of Pune-based rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.

Death sentence: The draft law of the state proposes death sentence for human sacrifice in the name of black magic.

The bill also seeks to penalize broadcast, propagation or promotion in any manner of superstitious practices.

Human sacrifice, adopting violent methods to cure diseases, proclaiming to have possessed godly and spiritual powers, promising to provide solution after monetary consideration, throwing babies on bed of thorns to cure diseases and keeping pregnant and menstrual women aloof are rituals considered evil practice.