Krishna Janmashthami (Aug 16, 2006)
Saturday August 12, 2006
The grand festival of Janmasthami marks the birthday of Lord Krishna, who was born at midnight on the 8th day of the dark fortnight in the Hindu month of Shravan. Scholars now accept the period between 3200 and 3100 BC as the period in which Krishna lived on earth... more
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One man’s belief is another man’s black magic !!
I generally refrain from writing on religion. One, there is generally NO end to religious debate. Two, on an impersonal medium like the net, religious discussion, raises all sorts of passions and leads to fights and is counter productive. Last but not the least, I believe that men, especially Indian men have to concentrate on lot of other issues and so religious debate has no place here. At least here.
However I am concerned at the insensitive legislative process in India.
So as an exception, I am bringing up one discussion on insensitive legislation - which is bound to affect upon MOST RELIGIONS in India today. It affects the Babas as much as it affects the kisthis and it affects Buddhists as much as it affect Jains.
Looks like our law makers are trying to legislate every piece and parcel of our daily lives.
- Marriage which was a smaskra, a sacred religious duty has been legislated. The moment you marry, you fall within the ambit of the Hindu Marriage Act or the Sharia or the Parsi Marriage act …. one of the many marriage laws in this secular land !
- Vidhya - education, was (a) legislated and now (b) commercialised as well…
- The Hindu Religious and endowment Act has helped Govt. nationalise a lot of temples !!
- The Christians had to fight for making divorce simpler …
The list of legislations that affect or personal freedom goes on and on …
Also, law makers in India seem to be borrowing more and more from the west, where religion and state have an un canny agreement. In the west there is a state religion and most things within the religion are defined. It started from the times of Henry the VIII.
India has had a long and chequered history of religious plurality. Three of four major religions were born here. There is NO state religion, and even with the majority Hindu religion, NOT much is uniform, for practices vary state to state.
Look at Hindu’s core practices and you will see all sorts of variations.
- Brahmins traditionally do NOT eat fish .. well.. eh… unless you are a Bengali Brahmin, and then Fish is auspicious.
- Sapthapathi is an essential part of Hindu marriage ..eh… EXCEPT in Tamil Nadu and Kerala ?
- Women are allowed inside temples ?? really … NO, NOT IN sabarimala !!
and so on ….
Now, the Maharashtra govt. is trying to pass a Maharashtra Eradication of Black Magic & Evil & Aghori Practices Act (Anti-Superstition Act)!! and is planning to give GREAT powers to OFFICERS who have a great discretion and decide what is Black Magic !!!
To begin with, the language of this ACT is said to be vague & imprecise. What is suppersition ? What is BLACKmagic and what is logic ? Could black magic and superstition include all that is NOT scientifically proven ? What about the karam kAnda of the Vedas ?, what about Chandamama and the children stories ? and what about Muhharram ? …. other religious practices ?
Worse, the bill also empowers the vigilance officer to enter & search any premise, where, he thinks, black magic has occurred.
This is where I see further in sensitivity.
This is just like the ANTI DOWRY legislation (sec 498A of IPC) empowering the police to arrest without trial, empowering arrest of HUSBANDS and their RELATIVES, including AGED PARENTS !!
So, is this bill a terrible mistake that needs to be stopped before it is enacted ??
more below
Discussion on the Maharashtra Eradication of Black Magic & Evil & Aghori Practices Act (Anti-Superstition Act)
or at : http://tinyurl.com/qofr7
AT THIS PAGE PLEASE SCROLL DOWN BELOW TO SEE THE DISCUSSIONS