Kerala: Anti-superstition law thrown in cold storage

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as neighbouring Karnataka unanimously passed an anti-superstition law the other day, a similar initiative in Kerala several year back is still gathering dust. Despite several incidents of superstitions even leading to deaths, the lawmakers in the state has not taken any interest in introducing the law. The law mooted by the state police warranted stringent punishment ranging from three years to capital punishment for superstitions. “It was true that a draft bill on an anti-superstition law was initiated in the state couple of years back. However, it is still in the cold storage as there was no directives from the political leadership to take it forward,” a senior law department official said.

It was following three deaths caused by superstitions in the state in 2014 that a demand for a stringent legislation to curb it was introduced. As instructed by government, the then ADGP Intelligence A. Hema-chandran drafted the bill after reviewing a similar law in Maharashtra and the proposals in Karnataka. It was submitted to the government in August, 2014. “Neither the then UDF government nor the LDF that succeeded had so far not shown any interest in pursuing it further. Though health minister K.K. Shylaja reportedly told the Assembly last year that the government would consider bringing in a legislation to curb superstitions and unscientific medical practices, the draft bill is still gathering dust,” said a government official.

The highlights of the proposed legislation titled Kerala Exploitation by Superstition (Prevention) Act, were 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 to life term in case of sexual exploitation committed under the cover of superstition or black magic and capital punishment or life term for death following superstition or black magic.