INDIA, April 2011: The state Cabinet on Friday accorded sanction for preparing and introducing the controversial Black Magic Bill in the state legislature. The Bill aims at curbing the exploitation of people at the hands of tantriks and fake sadhus. The state government has been struggling with pioneering the legislation against such faith since 2005. The previous bill, the Maharashtra Eradication of Black Magic, Evil and Aghori Practices Bill had been passed by the Assembly but got stuck in the council as Shiv Sena members termed it as being anti-Hindu.
[HPI note: The danger lies in leaving it up to the government to decide who are the charlatans and who are the real practicioners of ancient tantric and aghoric arts, most of them traditional and many benign. Who is qualified to judge? This can be an unsettling precedent.]
Sources said the bill might either be introduced in the ongoing session of the legislature or an ordinance would be issued after the session concludes. After the ordinance, the bill would then be introduced in the monsoon session of the legislature.