The Members of Progressive Seers Forum launch a three-day protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Monday demanding state government to convene a special session of Legislature to discuss Anti-superstition bill. DH Photo
Progressive Seers’ Forum began a three-day protest at Freedom Park here on Monday, seeking the state government to convene a special legislature session to discuss and pass the Karnataka Prevention of Superstitious Practices Bill.
“The Forum has been protesting against anti-social rituals over the last six years and has been demanding implementation of the recommendations of the bill. But the government has ignored the protests. The government shouldn’t test our patience as there is a limit to our patience. We are ready for any sort of protest,” Nidumamidi Veerabhadra Chennamalla Swami, president of the Forum said.
He warned that the Forum would rope in intellectuals, writers, progressive thinkers and pontiffs to intensify the protest if the government did not take a specific decision in this regard in three days.
“The bill bans rituals such as Made Snana, but not Pankthi Bheda and Ede Snana. Astrology and Vaastu should be brought under Consumer Forum jurisdiction to end exploitation of gullible people,” he stated.
The seer alleged that rumours were being spread that protest targetted a particular religion its gods and practises.
“We are not worried about criticism against our efforts. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah personally favours the bill. But he is silenced by a section of his Cabinet colleagues,” he said.
Over 50 people, including freedom fighter H S Doreswamy, writer Baragur Ramachnadrappa and former minister B T Lalitha Naik participated in the rally on Monday.