Patna. Despite making the first law in the country against harassment in the name of witchcraft, women are still being harassed in Bihar by branding them as witches. Generally the victimized woman does not get any benefit from this law. Panchayati Raj institutions themselves are not only unaware of this law, they also sometimes become participants in such oppression. Most of the women suffering from this evil are uneducated, backward and Dalit caste, middle-aged and resourceless. She is also called a witch because of her leadership abilities and outspokenness. These things came to light in a survey by Niratar, an organization working on women literacy since 1993, which was released today during an event in the capital Patna.
Government should strengthen witch harassment law
Nirantar has done this survey with the help of Ijaad, Rohtas’ organization Parivartan and Mahila Samakhya Federation working in seven districts. Chairperson of Bihar State Women’s Commission, Ashwamedh Devi, who was present on the occasion, said that the Commission is serious about such matters. We will propose to the government to strengthen the witch-hunt law and issue a toll-free number for this.
main point
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Despite strict laws, 90 percent of victimized women are not heard.
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-Because of vocal leadership they are declared witches, 56 percent women are harassed.
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– Most of the victims are middle-aged, uneducated, backward, Dalits and resource-less.
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-Released data of survey conducted by Nirantar organization regarding witch persecution in Bihar
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-Women Commission Chairperson Ashwamedh Devi said, will issue toll free number
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-SC-ST Commission member Ashok Paswan also assured to take strict steps.
Be sensitive to gender-based violence
Member Secretary of Bihar State Legal Services Authority, Shilpi Soniraj, who was present on the spot, said, we are sensitive about gender-based violence, victims can complain anytime on toll free number 15100. Joint Secretary of the same organization, Dhriti Jasleen Sharma said, teach your children to have respect for women, only then such social crimes will end. State SC-ST Commission member Ashok Paswan sought a proposal from women’s organizations working on witchcraft to make the law against witchcraft widespread.
Survey data presented
Nirantar organization has conducted this survey in the year 2023 among 145 victimized women from 118 different villages of 81 Panchayats, 37 blocks of 10 districts of Bihar. Presenting the survey data, Santosh Sharma of Nirantar said that in the year 2022, a woman was burnt alive in Dumariya after calling her a witch, after which the organization decided to conduct this survey.
Key figures of this survey
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-More than 75 percent of women were above 45 years of age
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-97 percent of the victim women belonged to backward, extremely backward and Dalit communities.
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-73 percent of the victimized women never went to school.
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-75 percent of the victimized women were married, hence the misconception that women get protection after marriage was proved wrong.
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-66 percent of the victimized women did not have any employment, even among the women who had employment, 68 percent were working as daily laborers.
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-48 percent women are declared witches by their in-laws.
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-44 percent are declared witches by upper caste people.
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-56 percent of the victimized women become victims of witchcraft harassment because of their leadership quality.
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-Only 31 percent of the victimized women complain of harassment; even after complaining, two-thirds of these cases are not heard.
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-The role of Panchayats in this matter remains negative. Of the 81 panchayats we contacted, 69 were not aware of the law prohibiting witchcraft.
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-Only 5 percent of these Panchayats had ever discussed this issue in their Panchayat.
This practice exists in the structure of our society
Archana Dwivedi, director of Nirantar Sanstha, said that the issue of witchcraft is not just a matter of superstition or illiteracy but it is present in the structure of our society. On this occasion, a podcast made by Suman Parmar, Hindi editor of Third Eye portal and Juhi, a victim of witchcraft torture and activists of the survey conducted on the practice of witchcraft, was also played.
The victims expressed their pain
In this podcast, these women answered the questions that who is called a witch, what kind of torture they have to face and what is the role of the police. Zulekha Khatoon, who came from West Champaran and was herself a victim of witchcraft, told how her hands and legs were broken after she was declared a witch. Even today they are discriminated against in the name of witch.
Law is weak in Bihar
This program was organized by Nirant Sanstha along with Bihar Legal Network and Mahila Samakhya Federation Mahasangh. Savita Ali of Bihar Legal Network said that the law on witchcraft harassment has been made in Bihar but it is very weak, which needs to be strengthened with sensitivity and awareness.
here are present
Many people including Nand Kumar Sagar of Bihar Legal Network, writer and women’s rights activist Nivedita Jha, social activist Kamayani, Asghar Sarin of Gyan Vigyan Samiti, Neelu of Mahila Jagran Kendra, Sangeeta of Mahila Samakhya Mahasangh, Akhtari Begum of Ijaad, among others, presented their views in the programme. Gave opinion.