Bengaluru: The Karnataka government plans to enact anti-superstition Act on the lines of Maharashtra’s Anti-Superstition Act, according to Minister for Revenue Kagodu Thimmappa.

“A bill will be tabled in the next legislative session in this regard,’’ Kagodu Thimmappa told reporters here on Friday.

The minister said the need of the hour is to create awareness among the public against superstition.

“It is not possible to stop people practicing superstitious rituals by enacting laws. Awareness should be created among the public,’’ the minister said.

Emphasising on the need for struggle to prevent people practicing superstitious rituals, the minister said these practices could not be stopped by mere speeches.

The 2013 Bill had met with resistance from various quarters as it proposed to ban numerology, astrology among others, and was referred to the scrutiny committee for modification. The 2016 Bill is yet to be made public.

The minister has also said the Inam Abolition Act has not been effective in the state and the government wants to make some amendments to the Act in the next Assembly session.

Akrama-Sakrama

The minister said the government has decided to regularize the illegally constructed houses at villages and cities under the rule 94C and 94CC of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act.

“We have received 5.40 lakh applications seeking regularization of the houses constructed illegally. Among the 5.40 lakh applications, the revenue department has already disbursed 2,61,572 applications. The remaining applications will be considered shortly,’’ the minister said.

Lingayat religion tag

Commenting on the ongoing debates and disputes on the need to have separate religion for Lingayat community, the revenue minister said some leaders are under the impression of getting separate religion tag for Lingayat community.

“They have to come out and struggle for it,’’ he said.