State government likely to discuss draft of the Bill in Cabinet today

After facing flak from various quarters for dragging its feet on bringing law against superstitious practices, the Karnataka government is expected to discuss the draft of the anti-superstition Bill in the Cabinet on Wednesday.

The key question now is if those cheating people in the name of astrology or vaastu would attract punishment under the proposed law.

After several rounds of discussion with experts, the government is said to have “toned down” the Bill that envisages banning evil practices on the lines of the law in Maharashtra. It is reliably learnt that the draft Bill is unlikely to include astrology and vaastu, coming under pressure from legislators and some within the Cabinet.

Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T.B. Jayachandra said, “The issue of either banning or regulating vaastu and astrology was discussed but no decision was taken.”

However, sources in the Law Ministry said a question mark was put on these two issues. The Cabinet might either include or exclude them. “It depends on the pressure from legislators, especially from north Karnataka,” the source said.

However, Mr. Jayachandra said the scrutiny committee of the Law Department on Monday cleared the long-pending draft of the Bill that seeks to ban “dangerous” superstitious practices. The committee had suggested some cosmetic changes and there was “nothing in the draft that would come in the way of religious sentiments.” Once the draft is cleared by the Cabinet, it would be tabled in the winter session of the legislature, he added.

Public opinion

The State was mulling over inviting public objections after getting Cabinet clearance. So far, seers of over 150 religious institutions had offered their feedback, he said.