'Put draft bill in public domain'

Legislation against witch hunt

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, April 4: A committee today asked the Assam government to put the draft of the proposed legislation against witch-hunt in public domain.

The demand was made by the Coordition Committee Against Superstition, Assam, a conglomerate of various organizations like the Assam Science Society, Ellora Vigyan Mancha, Mission Birubala, Gyan-Vigyan Samity, NESPYM, Jukti Bikash Samity, All Bodo Students Union, AATTSA etc.

In a statement, joint convenor of the forum Isfaqur Rahman said the draft bill should be made public and a discussion in the society organized on it. The forum submitted a memorandum in this regard to Chief Secretary and the Home Commissioner today.

A seven-member delegation of the Coordition Committee recently met Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and presented a memorandum demanding early introduction of a bill against ‘witch hunting and other harmful superstitions’.

Gogoi assured the delegation that a separate legislation would be introduced in Assam soon and the process of drafting the bill was at an advanced stage.

Welcoming the government’s initiative to introduce a law, the coordition committee sought a comprehensive debate on the issue. “The government should seek opinions, suggestions  etc from civil society groups, various organizations, individuals, social scientists, experts and all concerned so that the proposed legislation can be effective and meaningful,” the committee said in a statement, also hailing the intervention of the Gauhati High Court on directions of which the State government has fast-tracked the bill.