Assam introduces bill to combat illegal healing practices, faces criticism over evangelism concerns
Assam government tabled Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024 in state assembly whereby any person found guilty of committing the illegal act in the name of treatment/magic healing shall be punished with imprisonment and a fine.
The Bill was introduced by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika on behalf of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024 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 fibre of the public health of the society.
As per the Bill, no person shall take any part in 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 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 any part in any sort of advertisement relating to any kind of medicine, 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
