Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday warned All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal banned practices of ‘magical healing’ and said he would be arrested if found flouting the law. The Assam assembly last month passed the Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, banning non-scientific healing practices in the state.

The legislation aims to bring awareness in society on healthy, science-based knowledge to protect human health against “evil and sinister practices thriving on ignorance and ill-health of people”. The Bill seeks to eradicate non-scientific healing practices with “ulterior motives for exploiting the innocent people and thereby destroying the fibre of public health of the society”.

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The AIUDF legislators have been pointing out that their party chief is also a spiritual leader and people voluntarily approach him for ‘healing’. Ajmal is often approached by Muslims to blow into their water bottles, by which they believe that the water comes to possess healing qualities.

“If he (Badruddin Ajmal) will do healing practices, he will be arrested. What I will say, will happen. I am not speaking about myself, I am speaking about the Assembly,” Sarma said.

“You don’t listen to Himanta Biswa Sarma’s words, but you will have to listen to what the Assembly is saying. The assembly has stopped the healing practices,” he added.

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Offences committed under the provisions of the Bill would be cognizable and non-bailable and in the case of the first offence a person can be jailed for one year which may be extended up to three years with a fine of ₹50000 or with both; and, in the case of a subsequent conviction, with imprisonment which may extend up to five years, or with a fine of ₹1 lakh or both.