Kerala wavering on anti-superstitions law

Alappuzha: The progressive state of Kerala has not bothered to pass an anti-superstition law though Maharashtra and Karnataka have put in place strict laws against superstitious beliefs and practices. An anti-superstition law mooted by the Kerala police in 2014 remains on paper and vested interests have taken advantage of the situation, especially on the Sabarimala issue.

The gullible fall easy prey to the practitioners of black magic and other evil systems. A woman was killed in Karunagapally following an attempt by a man to exorcise a spirit from her body in July 2014. An 18-year-old girl died in Pathanamthitta allegedly due to black magic in October that year. Following these incidents, the then ADGP Intelligence A. Hemachandran had drafted a Bill against superstitions as instructed by the UDF government. But it has been gathering dust in government files for the last four years.

The proposed legislation titled Kerala Exploitation by Superstition (Prevention) Act had recommended three to seven years' imprisonment for causing physical or mental injuries and loss of property to any person by way of supernatural or black magic acts, five years' imprisonment or life term in case of sexual exploitation committed under the cover of superstition or black magic and capital punishment or life term for deaths under such practices. 

Article 51 of the Constitution has envisioned the promotion of a scientific temper as a citizen's fundamental duty. This has become pertinent as a raging debate is going on in the state on the violations of fundamental rights at Sabarimala. 

The LDF government, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has been campaigning against superstitions. Culture Minister A.K. Balan said the other day that the government was opposed to blind beliefs. Health Minister K.K. Shylaja had said in the the Assembly in 2016 that the government would bring in legislation to curb superstitions and unscientific medical practices. But the government has not taken any concrete steps in this regard. 

Incidents of superstitious beliefs occur in the state often. A newborn was denied breast milk for about 24 hours on religious grounds as per the advice of a preacher in Kozhikode in November 2016. Many more cases go unreported.