From Our Special Correspodent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Sep 19: The State government has an "open mind" on the proposed Karnataka Prevention of Superstitious Practices Bill, Karnataka’s Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra said on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he blamed the media for not giving enough space to the supporters of controversial Anti-Superstition Bill and said the State Government was open to enact the law to curb blind beliefs if people wanted it.

Asked if the State Government was ready to reconsider its decision now, Jayachandra said, "The State Government has open mind. If people want it we will definitely table the Bill in both the Houses legislature. The Bill is already ready and is pending before the Social Welfare Department."

The minister also appealed to media to educate people on the necessity of the Bill.

The minister said there were lot of people wanted the government to enact a law to punish those practice superstitions.

Unfortunately, people supporting the Bill did not get an opportunity to raise their voice in media, forcing the State Government to put the Bill on the backburner, Jayachandra said.

He, however, said a lot of people were expressing the need for such a law after the brutal killing of researcher M M Kalburgi at his residence in Dharwad last month.

The minister said he had piloted the idea for extensive debate in the public.

Unfortunately, a section of leaders and BJP criticised the Bill and issued critical statements to the media.

The State Government is ready for discussion of the Bill if a majority of members in both Houses of the State legislature agreeing to it, Jayachandra said.

On Tuesday, a group of writers and family members of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar and CPI leader Govind Pansare, both of whom were killed in Maharashtra, urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to pass the Bill, which has been kept in cold storage following opposition in the State.