Bangalore:
Ignoring BJP's reservations, Congress government in Karnataka today said it would go ahead with tabling of the proposed anti-superstition bill in the winter session of the state legislature.
Speaking to reporters in the district headquarters town of Tumkur, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra rejected suggestions that the proposed legislation is targeted at Hindus.
"It's not targeted at Hindus and other religions. No question of that. We will make all efforts to table it (in the session)," he said.
"Discussions (on the draft bill) have begun. We will finalise it as early as possible," Jayachandra said.
The winter session begins on November 25 at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in the northern district headquarters town of Belgaum and will last till December 6.
BJP has vowed to block the bill, the draft of which was prepared by Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy (CSSEIP) of National Law School of India University, on the invitation of the state government.
The draft Karnataka Prevention of Superstitious Practices Bill, 2013 was submitted to the Government last week.
BJP state unit has condemned certain provisions in the proposed bill and said the government has no right to infringe upon the beliefs of Hindus. Party leaders pointed out that there is a difference between superstition and faith.
They noted that there are already legal provisions banning some of those practices.
The proposed bill lists 13 practices as cognizable offences, attracting punishment ranging from imprisonment of between one year and five years or fine. In case of human sacrifice, it specifies death penalty.