1. The Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, has been ratified during the final session of the Assam assembly’s budget meeting.
2. This bill targets the misuse of traditional healing techniques, aiming to prevent them from being exploited for malicious intentions.
3. Its passage underscores the government’s commitment to safeguarding public health and promoting scientifically backed therapeutic practices.
Guwahati, Feb 26: The Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, was successfully passed during the concluding session of the Assam assembly’s budget session. This legislation aims to curb the misuse of traditional healing methods for nefarious purposes.
The primary objective of the bill is to raise awareness among the populace regarding scientifically supported health information.
This is intended to safeguard public health by preventing the exploitation of individuals’ ignorance and vulnerability through harmful practices.
Under the provisions of the act, non-scientific healing techniques that prey on unsuspecting individuals, thereby jeopardizing public health, will be prohibited.
Any practices falsely claiming to cure diseases or address health-related issues will no longer be permissible.
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Furthermore, the legislation prohibits the advertisement of any medicinal products or remedies that falsely assert their ability to cure diseases through traditional healing practices.
Offences committed under this bill will be considered cognizable and non-bailable, with penalties ranging from imprisonment for one to three years and fines up to Rs 50,000 for initial violations.
Repeat offenders could face imprisonment of up to five years and fines of Rs 1 lakh.
While discussing the bill, Congress leader Debabrata Saikia expressed apprehensions regarding the ambiguity surrounding the definition of ‘evil practices’ and suggested that it might be an attempt to impose a uniform civil code in Assam.
He emphasized the diversity of traditional healing practices across different communities in Assam, a sentiment echoed by several other legislators.
In response to these concerns, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma clarified that the bill was not intended to outlaw traditional healing practices but rather to curb those exploiting individuals by falsely claiming to cure incurable diseases for financial gain.
Sarma also emphasized that the bill did not correlate with the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). During the session, the assembly also passed 14 other bills, including one aimed at preventing the use of unfair means in government job recruitment.
Despite prior announcements, no legislation was introduced to ban polygamy, and the government did not table any bill to repeal the Assam Moslem Marriage and Divorce Registration Act, of 1935, despite discussions on the matter.
