Gujarat govt to table anti-black magic bill during 3-day monsoon session beginning August 21

Ahmedabad: The three-day monsoon session of the Gujarat assembly will commence Wednesday in Gandhinagar, with the opposition Congress questioning the short duration of the sitting and requesting the Speaker to ensure discussion on people's issues.

The government intends to pass five bills, including one for abolishing black magic and 'Aghori' practices, said Gujarat Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rushikesh Patel after attending the Business Advisory Committee.

Governor Acharya Devvrat on August 6 called the fifth session of the 15th Gujarat assembly from August 21, an official statement said, adding that the session would conclude on August 23.

Earlier this month, the state government had told the Gujarat High Court that it would bring a bill to curb black magic practices and 'aghori' activities.

The government affidavit was filed in reply to a PIL seeking to curb activities by fraudsters calling themselves godmen and aghoris.

As per the schedule released by the Assembly Secretariat, the bill will be tabled for discussion and approval of the House on Wednesday by the state Home Department.

The Business Advisory Meeting was held in the Assembly complex under the chairmanship of Speaker Shankar Chaudhary to discuss and finalise the businesses to be carried out in this session.

Other four bills are related to some amendments to existing acts related to Goods and Service Tax (GST), Prohibition, and the formation of special courts, said Patel.

A bill making necessary amendments in the state acts as per the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) will also be introduced during the session.

After the meeting, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Amit Chavda alleged that the BJP government had rejected several of the party's short-notice questions they wanted to raise.

He said a delegation led by him met the Speaker over the alleged rejection of these questions after the meeting.

"Since the announcement about holding the monsoon session (on August 6), the Congress has been demanding that the sitting duration should be at least 10 days to enable raising issues of people," Chavda told reporters.

He claimed many short-notice questions submitted by Congress were rejected because ministers were shying away from debate.

"We urged the Speaker to ensure that short notice questions will be taken up and ample time allotted for discussion," the Congress leader said.

Responding to Congress' allegation, Patel said the opposition party was only interested in making allegations instead of working.

At 161, the Bharatiya Janata Party enjoys an overwhelming majority in the 182-member House. The Congress has 12 legislators, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) 4, and Samajwadi Party 1. Two are independent MLAs.