Karnataka's anti-superstition bill is expected to put a check on practices like Made Snana, in which people roll over food left over by Brahmins at the Kukke Subramanya temple in Dakshina Kannada district.
The Karnataka government is planning an anti-superstition bill on the lines of a similar one in Maharashtra. The bill was first suggested in 2013 and is has been drafted twice so far.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah -- a known rationalist with no patience for things like auspicious timings -- and his government has now moved to introduce the bill.
Karnataka has its share of superstitious practices, like the Made Snana ritual, in which people roll over food left over by Brahmins at the Kukke Subramanya temple in Dakshina Kannada district.
Others include walking on burning coals and even throwing babies from the roof of a temple onto a cloth spread below.
Banning Made Snana, a practice put on freeze by the Supreme Court, had met with opposition earlier. But the government still insists the bill will happen.
"The social welfare department has sent the bill for scrutiny," law minister TB Jayachandra told NDTV. He said he would take it up immediately after scrutiny and the bill will get a final shape within 15 days
Maharashtra introduced its anti-superstition bill soon after the murder of rationalist Narendra Dhabolkar. Karnataka's rationalists believe such a bill is needed in the state.
Subba Rao, who is part of the rationalist movement, said, "Chief Minister Siddaramiah is keen to bring this. But still it is not a priority for him. We don't know when it is going to be tabled."