Practice of Witchcraft in India

Syllabus: GS1/ Social Issues

Context

• Five members of a family were killed on suspicion of practising witchcraft in Purnea district of Bihar.

What is Witchcraft?

• Witchcraft refers to the belief in or alleged use of supernatural or magical powers, especially to cause harm, misfortune, or illness.
• In the Indian context, witchcraft is:
  • Deeply tied to superstition and patriarchal norms.
  • Often used as a tool to settle personal disputes, grab land, or suppress women’s agency.
  • More prevalent in Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and parts of Assam and West Bengal.
• Witch-hunting is the act of accusing someone (mostly women) of being a ‘witch’ and subjecting them to violence, ostracization, torture, and even murder.
• According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Over 800 people (mostly women) were killed in witchcraft-related murders across India between 2016 to 2022.

Causes of Witch-Hunting in India

• Superstition and Illiteracy: Especially in tribal and rural belts, unexplained diseases or deaths are attributed to ‘witches’.
• Gender and Patriarchy: Over 75% of victims are women, particularly widows, old, mentally ill, or childless women.
• Land and Property Grab: Accusations are often made to drive women off their property or settle family and community disputes.
• Social Marginalisation: Witch-hunting is more prevalent among Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes, who face long-standing social exclusion and lack of legal awareness.

Challenges of Witchcraft

• Violation of Fundamental Rights: Witch-hunting violates Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life and dignity. It also infringes upon Articles 14 (Right to Equality) and Articles 15 (Protection against discrimination).
• Failure of State Institutions: The continuation of this practice highlights the ineffectiveness of law enforcement, the judiciary, and health services in remote areas.
• Denial of Constitutional Values: Article 51A(h) of the Constitution emphasizes the duty of every citizen to promote scientific temper and humanism.

Legal Framework to Address the Issue

• State-Specific Legislations: In the absence of a central law, several states have enacted their own laws;
  • Bihar: Prevention of Witch (Daain) Practices Act, 1999
  • Jharkhand: Prevention of Witch Practices Act, 2001
  • Chhattisgarh: Tonahi Pratadna Nivaran Act, 2005
  • Odisha: Prevention of Witch-Hunting Act, 2013
• Civil Initiatives:
  • Project Garima (Jharkhand): The initiative works to restore the dignity of women branded as witches, by offering legal aid, counselling, community support, and rehabilitation.
  • Project Prahari (Assam): A community-policing model that aims to build trust between police and tribal communities, focusing on crime prevention through early warning, awareness campaigns, and timely legal intervention.
• UN Human Rights Council Resolution, 2021: It urges countries to eliminate harmful practices associated with witchcraft accusations.
  • It emphasizes protection of vulnerable groups, documentation of attacks, and victim rehabilitation.

Challenges in Addressing the Issue

• Absence of Central Legislation: The Prevention of Witch-Hunting Bill, 2016 was introduced in the Lok Sabha to provide a national framework for prevention and rehabilitation. However, it failed to pass and eventually lapsed.
• Data Gaps: NCRB currently classifies witch-hunting deaths under general murder, making it difficult to track trends or evaluate impact of interventions.
• Social Acceptance and Stigma: Many communities still accept witch-branding as a legitimate act. Victims often face lifelong exclusion and are unwilling to report cases.

Way Ahead

• Comprehensive Central Law: India must urgently enact a national law against witch-hunting that:
  • Defines the crime clearly,
  • Punishes perpetrators appropriately,
  • Offers support and rehabilitation to victims,
  • Mandates awareness and education initiatives.
• Community Engagement and Scientific Temper: Awareness campaigns should target panchayats, SHGs, and tribal leaders to challenge harmful practices and promote constitutional values.
• Rehabilitation Framework: Victims must be offered safe shelter, legal protection, counselling, economic assistance, and opportunities for reintegration.

Source: IE