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AntiSuperstitionandBlackMagicAct
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

TheMaharashtraPreventionand
EradicationofHumanSacrifice
andotherInhuman,Eviland
AghoriPracticesandBlack
MagicAct,2013isacriminallaw
actforthestateofMaharashtra,
India,originallydraftedbyanti
superstitionactivistandthe
founderofMaharashtra
AndhashraddhaNirmoolanSamiti
(MANS),NarendraDabholkar
(19452013)in2003.[1]Theact
criminalisespracticesrelatedto
blackmagic,humansacrifices,use
ofmagicremediestocureailments
andothersuchactswhichexploit
people'ssuperstitions.[2]
Thebillwasinitiallypromulgated
on24August2013,andwas
formallyintroducedinthewinter
sessionofMaharashtraLegislative
AssemblyinNagpurinDecember
2013.[2]

MaharashtraPreventionandEradicationofHuman
SacrificeandotherInhuman,EvilandAghori
PracticesandBlackMagicAct,2013
Territorial
extent

Maharashtra

Enactedby

LegislativeAssembly

Datepassed

13December2013

Enactedby

LegislativeCouncil

Datepassed

18December2013
Legislativehistory

Billintroduced
inthe
Legislative
Assembly

MaharashtraPreventionandEradicationofHuman
SacrificeandotherInhuman,EvilandAghori
PracticesandBlackMagicBill,2013

Billpublished
on

11December2013

Introducedby

ShivajiraoMoghe
Relatedlegislation

MaharashtraOrdinanceNo.XIVof2013
(http://www.bombayhighcourt.nic.in/libweb/acts/Mah.Ord.2013.14.PDF)

Contents

Status:Inforce

1Overview
2History
3Criticismandsupport
4Seealso
5Furtherreading
6References

Overview
Thecurrentbillhas12clauseswhichcriminaliseonlythefollowingacts:[3]
Assault,forcedingestionofurineorstool,forcedsexualacts,brandingetc.onthepretextof
exorcisingghostsfromanallegedlypossessedperson.
Claimingtomakemiraclesanddefraudingorterrorisingpeople.
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Carryingoutorencouragingactswhichendangerlifeorcausegrievousinjuryinordertogain
supernaturalblessing.
Carryingoutorencouraginginhumanactsorhumansacrificeinquestofsomebountyorreward.
Creatingtheimpressionthatapersonhassupernaturalpowersandcompellingpeopletofollow
his/herorders.
Accusingapersonofpractisingblackmagicorbeinganincarnationofsaitan,blaminghim/herof
causingdiseasesormisfortune,andharassingtheperson.
Accusingapersonofpractisingblackmagic,paradinghim/hernakedandhinderingtheperson's
activities.
Claimingtoinvokeghosts,creatingtheimpressionofpossession,preventingthepersonfrom
seekingmedicaltreatment,andcompellinghim/hertoinhumanacts.
Preventingapersonfromseekingmedicaladviceincaseofdog,snake,orscorpionbite,and
compellinghim/hertotakemagicremedies.
Claimingtoperformsurgerybyfingers(psychicsurgery)andclaimingtochangethesexofan
unbornfoetus.
Claimingtoberelatedtoapersonfromapreviousincarnationandcoaxingthemtosexualacts,
andclaimingtohavesupernaturalpowertocureanimpotentwomanandhavingsexualrelation
withthewoman.
Claimingamentallychallengedpersontobehavingsupernaturalpowersandusingsuchaperson
forpersonalgain.
AlthoughthehumansacrificeisalreadyconsideredmurderinIndia,encouraginghumansacrificehas
beencriminalisedinthislaw.[3]Eachinfractioncarriesaminimumsentenceofsixmonthsanda
maximumsentenceofsevenyears,includingafinerangingfrom 5,000to 50,000.Theoffencesare
nonbailableandcognisable.[4]
Thelawdirectstheappointmentandtrainingofvigilanceofficers,toinvestigateandreportthesecrimes
tothelocalpolicestation.Theranksoftheseofficersaretobegreaterthantherankofapolice
inspector.[5][6][7]

History
Theoriginalbillof2003wasdraftedbyNarendraDabholkar.[1]InJuly2003,thedraftwasapprovedby
thestategovernment.[8]ThebillwassentforratificationtotheUniongovernmentbyChiefMinister
SushilkumarShindeinAugust2003.[9]However,itwascriticisedforhavingpoordefinitionsofterms
likesuperstition,blackmagic,spells,sorceryetc.[1]Thebillwasnotpresentedinthewintersessionof
thelegislature.[8]
ThebillwasrevisedandredraftedbyrationalistShyamManav.Thisdraftwaspresentedas
MaharashtraEradicationofBlackMagicandEvilandAghoriPracticesBill,2005.[1]

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ThebillwasintroducedforthefirsttimeintheLegislativeAssemblyinthewintersessionof2005.[10]
Thebill,wasadoptedbytheAssemblyon16December2006,thelastdayofthesession.Theruling
CongressgovernmentfacedcriticismfromthelackofdebatefromtheoppositionBJPandShivSena.[11]
TheArtofLivingFoundationandHinduJanajagrutiSamitiprotestedagainstthebill,includingata
demonstrationinPuneon25February2006.Theyexpressedconcernthatbillgavetoomuchpowerto
police,allowingthemtosearch,seizeandarrestonmeresuspicion.ThespokespersonforJanajagruti
Samiti,RameshShinde,saidthatthebillwasredundant,violatedreligiousfreedomanddidnot
acknowledgedivinepower.I.A.Khan,thecaretakeroftheHajiMalangDargah,agreedandaddedthat
thebillwasinfluencedby"foreignideas".[12]Thebillwasnotpresentedin2006monsoonsession.A
CongressMLAontheconditionofanonymityacknowledgedthattheydidn'twanttoupsettheir
constituenciesaheadoftheelections.[13]
In2007,insteadofbeingsenttothesecondhouseofthelegislature,theLegislativeCouncil,itwas
forwardedtoaninvestigativecommittee.[14]
InJuly2008,MANSvolunteersstagedaprotestinMumbaitodrawattentiontothebill,wherethe
protestersslappedthemselves.Theyclaimedthatitwastoremindthemselvesthat,theyhadelectedthe
wrongrepresentativeswhowerenotinterestedinthepeople'swelfare.[15]
On8November2010,NarhariMaharajChaudhari,thesecretaryofMaharashtraStateWarkari
MahamandalrepresentingtheWarkaris,criticisedthebillinapressconferencestatingthatithasno
cleardefinitionofmentalandphysicaltorture.Healsostatedthatitcouldbeusedtocriminaliseevery
Hinduritual.HeclaimedthebilltoberedundantashumansacrificealreadycomesunderIndianPenal
Code.HedefendedtheWakariritualofwariandcalledforthebilltobescrapped.[16]
On5April2011,Dabholkar,talkingatapressconference,criticisedtelevisionprogrammespromoting
superstitionsandcalledforthebilltobepassed.ArallywasheldatAzadMaidanon7Aprilto
awarenessaboutthebill.[17]On7April2011,DeputyChiefMinisterAjitPawarstatedthatthebillwill
beintroducedinthebudgetsessionwhilerespondingtoMLAChainsukhSancheti'squeriesaboutchild
sacrifices.PawarclarifiedthatthebillwillnotaffectWakariritualsoranyotherreligiousrites.[18]
On7July2011,MANSsecretaryMilindDeshmukhandDabholkarstatedthatanantisuperstitionbill
hadbeenpromisedbythegovernmentsince7July1995butneverpassed.Theystartedatelegram
sendingcampaigntodrawattentiontotheissuesandalsourgedlocalleaderstosendtelegramstothe
ChiefMinister.[19]
On20August2013,NarendraDabholkar,thearchitectandleadcampaignerbehindthebill,wasshot
dead,whilehewasoutonawalk.Hisdeathtriggeredprotestsanddemandsforthebilltobepassed
weremade.[20]
On21August2013,theMaharashtragovernmentapprovedthebillasanordinance.On24August2013,
K.Sankaranarayanan,theGovernorofMaharashtrasignedtheordinance.Theordinancewillremainin
effectuntilDecember2013,whenitwillbetabledatthewintersessionofthestatelegislature.[2]Asof
August2013,thebillhasbeentabledthriceintheLegislativeAssemblyandhadfailedtopasseach
times,andhasundergone29amendments.[21]
On4September2013,theordinancewasusedforthefirsttimetoarresttwoindividualsintheNanded
district,whohadadvertisedmiraclescuresforAIDS,canceranddiabetesinanewspaper.Membersof
MANShelpedthepoliceunderstandwhichclausewouldbeapplicable.[22]On8September2013,aman
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claimingtobeanavatarofKrishnawasarrestedinKandivaliunderthisordinance.Hewasalsocharged
undertheProtectionofChildrenfromSexualOffencesActformolestation.[23]
ThebilltoenactthelawwastitledtheMaharashtraPreventionandEradicationofHumanSacrificeand
otherInhuman,EvilandAghoriPracticesandBlackMagicBill2013,alsoknownastheAnti
SuperstitionBill,BlackMagicBill,AntiJaaduTonaBillorJaduTonaAndhshradhaVirodhiBill.[24]
[25]ItwasintroducedintheMaharashtraLegislativeAssemblyon11December2013byStateSocial
JusticeministerShivajiraoMoghe.[26]ThebillwaspassedbytheLegislativeAssemblyon13
December[27][28]andbytheLegislativeCouncilon18December2013.[29][30]

Criticismandsupport
ThebillhasbeencriticisedforbeingantiHinduandantireligion.[1][31]
Dabholkarhadrespondedtothecriticismofthebillbeingantireligiousbystatingthatthebilldoesnot
mentiongodorreligion,andthatonlytargetsfraudulentpractices.[31]
ShyamManavhasgivenhisassurancethattheWakarisectwillnotfindthebillobjectionable.Manav
hasfurtherclarifiedthelawdoesnotprohibitsapersonfromperformingamiracle.However,itisa
crimeifapersonclaimstoperformamiracleandcheatssomeone.[32]
Dalbholkar'sdaughter,Mukta,andotheractivistsarealsocampaigningforanationalwideanti
superstitionlaw.[33][34]

Seealso
Godman(India)
SuperstitioninIndia
DrugsandMagicRemedies(ObjectionableAdvertisements)Act,1954

Furtherreading
"MaharashtraOrdinanceNo.XIVOF2013(FullText)"
(http://www.bombayhighcourt.nic.in/libweb/acts/Mah.Ord.2013.14.PDF).BombayHighCourt.

References
1. ^abcde"Boldbutfuzzy"(http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl2316/stories/20060825001104900.htm).Frontline
(magazine).12August2006.Retrieved5October2013.
2. ^abc"TheantiblackmagicandsuperstitionordinancehasbeenpromulgatedinMaharashtra"
(http://www.dnaindia.com/india/1879444/reporttheantiblackmagicandsuperstitionordinancehasbeen
promulgatedinmaharashtra).DNAIndia.24August2013.Retrieved5October2013.
3. ^ab"Whattheantisuperstitionbillisabout"(http://www.dnaindia.com/india/1880165/standpointnota
wordagainstreligionintheantisuperstitionbill).DNAIndia.26August2013.Retrieved5October2013.
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4. ^"AntiSuperstitionOrdinanceBrought"(http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/antisuperstitionordinance
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(http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/20130909/nashik/41903003_1_blackmagicnewact
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7. ^"Maharashtra'sdelayedmoveonblackmagic"(http://www.indianexpress.com/news/maharashtrasdelayed
moveonblackmagic/1161450/0).TheIndianExpress.29August2013.Retrieved8November2013.
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17/pune/27848366_1_godmenbillwintersession).TheTimesofIndia.17December2005.Retrieved
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religiousgroupsfearblackmagicofpolice).DNAIndia.26February2006.Retrieved5October2013.
13. ^"Mahimbringsfaithbilltofore"(http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/1048442/reportmahimbringsfaith
billtofore).DNAIndia.20August2006.Retrieved5October2013.
14. ^"Antisuperstitionbillcontinuestoattractsceptics"(http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/1539518/reportanti
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21. ^"Maharashtratoissueantisuperstitionordinance"(http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other
states/maharashtratoissueantisuperstitionordinance/article5045083.ece).TheHindu.22September2013.
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22. ^"Antisuperstitionlawdrawsfirstblood"(http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/antisuperstitionlaw
drawsfirstblood/article5094110.ece).TheHindu.5September2005.Retrieved5October2013.
23. ^" 'LordKrishna'heldunderantisuperstitionlaw"(http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/1887217/reportlord
krishnaheldunderantisuperstitionlaw).DNAIndia.11September2013.Retrieved5October2013.
24. ^"Guvsignsantisuperstitionandblackmagicordinance"(http://www.sakaaltimes.com/NewsDetails.aspx?
NewsId=5721785625743701101&SectionId=5171561142064258099SectionName=Pune&NewsTitle=Guv%20
signs%20antisuperstition%20and%20black%20magic%20ordinance).SakalTimes.25August2013.
Retrieved5October2013.
25. ^"CMfailedtodiscussAntiJaaduTonaBill"(http://www.dnaindia.com/pune/1870464/reportcmfailedto
discussantijaadutonabill).DNAIndia.6August2013.Retrieved5October2013.
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news/antisuperstitionbillclearsfirsthurdle/article11162561.aspx)
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(http://www.indianexpress.com/news/antisuperstitionbillpassedbymaharashtraassembly/1207481/)
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(http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/MaharashtraLegislativeCouncilPassesBlackMagic
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31. ^ab"NarendraDabholkar:India'sMaharashtrastatebansblackmagicafterkilling"
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/worldasiaindia23776406).BBCNews.21August2013.Retrieved5October
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32. ^"AntisuperstitionlawdraftedinsuchawaythatWarkariswillnotopposeit:ShyamManav"
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33. ^"DabholkaraidesmeetRahul,Pawarforcentralantisuperstitionlaw"
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