GUWAHATI: The Assam government on Wednesday introduced a Bill – Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024 in the Assembly to eradicate unscientific healing practices with an ulterior motive to exploit innocent people and thereby destroying the fibre of the public health of society.
The Bill was introduced in the House by parliamentary affairs minister Pijush Hazarika on behalf of chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Once the Bill is enacted, the commission of all acts of healing practices and magic healing by any person with a sinister motive to exploit common people will be prohibited.
It defines healing practices as a traditional holistic approach to healing the body, mind and spirit of a human being with traditional medicine and art, including any system, treatment, diagnosis, or practice for the assessment, cure, relief, or correction of any human disease, ailment, deformity, injury or enhancement of a condition or appearance.
“Healing, in our context, is not synonymous with proselytization. It is a compassionate response to human suffering, irrespective of religious affiliations.
Speaking on the role of prayer and faith, the statement said prayer is a universal practice across religions, used to invoke divine healing. Labelling it as magical healing oversimplifies the profound spiritual dimensions of faith and life,” they said.
They said Article 25 of the Indian Constitution guarantees the right to practice one’s chosen religion. Accusation against Christians undermines this constitutional protection.
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Section 3 of the Bill, no person will be allowed to take part in healing practices and magical healing propagation for the treatment of any disease, any disorder or any condition relating to the health of a person directly or indirectly.
Under section 4 of the Bill, no person will be allowed to take part in any sort of advertisement relating to any kind of medicine or remedy directly or indirectly relating to any false claim or misleading to any particular material.
Section 5 of the Bill empowers the government to punish any person for any act of inhuman, evil or magical healing or propagation or promotion of such practices or black magic acts.
Section 6 of the Bill empowers the government to punish such evil or magical healing practices with imprisonment of one year which may extend up to three years or with a fine of Rs 50 thousand or both.
If any subsequent conviction of a person, the imprisonment may extend up to five years or with a fine of Rs 1 lakh or both.
Section 9 of the Bill empowers the government to nominate the police officer as a vigilance officer.
Section 16 of the Bill empowers the government to frame rules to carry out the provisions of the Bill.
An offence under this Bill will be cognizable and non-bailable under a section of the Bill.
Police officials not below the rank of sub-inspector will have the power to enter and inspect any practices within the local limit of jurisdiction of such person where an offence has been or is likely to be committed.
On February 10, the Assam Cabinet approved the Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, to address the issue of fraudulent magical healing practices in the name of treatment.
The Bill prescribes imprisonment and fines for engaging in illegal practices under the guise of treatment or magic healing.
Sarma said that his government wants to curb evangelism in the state apart from aligning a proposed anti-polygamy law with Uttarakhand’s Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
“Magical healing is a dicey subject used to convert tribal people. We are going to pilot this Bill because we believe the religious status quo is very important for a proper balance. Let Muslims remain Muslims, Christians remain Christians, Hindus remain Hindus,” Sarma said.
“We want to curb evangelism in Assam and in this regard, the banning of healing is an important milestone,” he added.
A day after the cabinet okayed the Bill, the Assam Christian Forum slammed the chief minister for his “misguided and misleading” statement equating magical healing with proselytisation.
“Healing, in our context, is not synonymous with proselytisation. It is a compassionate response to human suffering, irrespective of religious affiliations,” the forum said, insisting that labelling prayer as magical healing oversimplifies the profound spiritual dimensions of faith and life.
