'Maha should show courage in passing anti-superstition bill'

Mumbai: An organisation which works for the cause of eradicating superstitions from society today asked the Maharashtra government “to show courage” in passing the anti-superstition bill in the monsoon session of legislature, starting next week.

Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti founder Narendra Dabholkar told reporters here that the bill, titled “Black Magic and Evil and Aghori Practices Bill”, was first tabled before the state legislature in 1998, but the government has not taken any initiative to pass it till now.

“The state government is aware of the way people suffer because of witchcraft, black magic and other similar practices, but is not sensitive towards the issue. The organisation condemns the government for ignoring an important social issue,” he said.

“The ANS, along with other organisations, has been pushing for passing the bill. The bill has been under discussion for years now. Our activists even wrote letters in blood and sent them to the state government but even this could not generate a response,” Dabholkar said.

“In 1999, Congress had given a written assurance that the legislation will come into being in a year,” he said. Dabholkar said he met Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and the ministers concerned recently to demand speedy enactment of the legislation.

PTI