Religious groups fear ‘black magic’ of police

The state government is now under attack from various religious groups — including Art of Living Foundation and Ganesh mandals— which have now come under one platform to protest the Maharashtra Eradication of Black Magic, Evil and Aghori Practices Bill, 2005 (earlier known as anti-superstition bill).

In the group’s protest rally in Pune over the weekend against the bill, the organisations, including the local chapter of Art of Living, attacked the government against the Bill, which they claim proposes wide-ranging and sweeping powers for the police, which will allow them to enter and arrest, search and confiscate material, merely on grounds of suspicion.

The Bill, which has been passed by the Lower House of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, and is up for ratification by the Upper House this March.

The contention of the protesters is that the crimes committed under superstition are low in numbers and can be easily tackled under the existing sections of the Indian Penal Code

Ramesh Shinde, spokesperson, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, said, “We used the Right to Information Act (RTI) and found out that in the last five years, 17 cases were registered, out of which 12 people were convicted. So is there a need for yet another Law? The state government wants to deviate our attention from more pressing issues.”

Shinde opposed sections of the Bill in which vigilance officers had been given right to enter any place at any time and arrest a person on suspicion and search the premises.

“The law does not accept divine energy. In all paths of spiritual practice, the seeker gets experience of divine principle, which he spreads as part of his religious freedom. Calling it a crime is an infringement on his freedom,” said Shinde.

Shinde said that people, who use black magic and  similar practices could not be clubbed with organisations, which were listed under the Public Trust Act and spreading religious thoughts.

IA Khan, manager, Hajimalang Darga, Kalyan, supported Shinde stating that the Bill had been influenced by “foreign ideas”.

“The Bill has attacked the basic Constitutional right of freedom of religious expression. We will continue to oppose it and will take legal recourse, if necessary,” he said.

However, professor Shyam Manav, president, Akhil Bharatiya Andhshraddha Nirmulan Samiti (ABANS), a major force behind the Bill, said that the protests did  not matter since the Bill had already been passed by the Lower House.

“A quick look at all those who are against the Bill will show that they are groups and wings run by some babas and saints, who are aware their activities will be now under scanner. It is a question of their existence. No established Hindu organisations like the RSS, Shiv Sena or even the BJP is against the Bill,” he said. Manav refuted the charges that the Bill gave extra powers to the police. “Under IPC, if anyone is obstructing the work of cops, he can be punished. We have made a comprehensive Bill to weed out crimes against people due to superstition,” he said.