Bill against magical healing tabled in Assam Assembly

Provisions of penalty included

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The state government has tabled a bill named Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, with the intent to check the practice of ‘evil’ or magical healing practices for treatment of certain diseases and health disorder among the state’s populace. The bill was tabled in the Assam Assembly on the ninth day of the ongoing budget session by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika on behalf of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Such a bill has been introduced in the state for the very first time, following the use of such practices for ‘healing,’ especially in rural areas. The bill includes provisions of fines and imprisonment for indulging in such practices.

According to the objects and reasons of The Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, it aims to bring social awakening in the society and to create healthy, science-based knowledge and safe environment to protect human health against the evil and sinister practices thriving on ignorance and ill-health of people to eradicate the non-scientific healing practices with ulterior motives for exploiting the innocent people and thereby destroying the fiber of the public health of the society.

As per the Bill, no person shall take part in any healing practices and magical healing propagation for treatment of any diseases, any disorder, or any condition relating to the health of a person (relating to the human body), directly or indirectly giving a false impression of treatment to cure diseases, pain, or trouble to the human health.

No person shall take part in any sort of advertisement relating to any kind of medicine or remedy, directly or indirectly, relating to any false claim to cure diseases through healing practices. The commission of any act of inhuman, evil, or magical healing or propagation or promotion of such practices or black magic acts by any person himself or through another person shall be an offence under the provisions of this Bill and is punishable.

The evil practice of magical healing by any person with a sinister motive to exploit common people is a cognizable and non-bailable offence under Section 6 of the said Bill and the punishment will range from an imprisonment for one year, which may be extended up to three years or with fine of rupees fifty thousand, or both. Further, in case of the subsequent conviction of a person, the punishment will extend up to five years, or with fine of one lakh or both.

The bill stipulates that there will be a Vigilance Officer to check such evil healing practices or magical healing. A separate notification will be issued for appointment of vigilance officers after passing the bill.

It should be noted that the Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024 has been framed to stop the propagation of the evil practices of magical healing in the name of treatment which pose a serious problem to the health of a person both physically and mentally.

According to Section 3 of the Bill, the state government is empowered to prohibit evil or magical healing practices for treatment of certain diseases and health disorder.

Section 4 of the Bill empowers the Government to prohibit misleading advertisement for evil or magical healing practices.

Section 5 of the Bill empowers the Government to impose punishment to any person for any act of inhuman, evil or magical healing or propagation or promotion of such practices or black magic acts.

Moreover, Section 9 of the Bill empowers the Government to nominate Police Officers as Vigilance Officer.

According to the bill, “healing and healing practices” means a traditional holistic approach to heal body, mind and spirit of human being with traditional medicine and art, including any system, treatment, diagnosis, or practice for ascertainment, cure, relief, and correction of any human disease, ailment, deformity, injury or enhancement of a condition or appearance.

On the ninth day of the Budget Session on Wednesday, the state government also introduced another two bills—“The Assam Village Defence Organisation (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and “The Assam Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

 Also Read: Assam Cabinet Nods Bill To Prohibit ‘Magical Healing’

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