Source-This post on Witch-Hunting in India has been created based on the article “Why accusations of witchcraft persist in India” published in “The Indian Express” on 8 August 2024.
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Context– The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in India has tracked “motives for murder,” including witchcraft, since 1953. In 2022, there were 85 murders with witchcraft as a motive, mainly in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Odisha, with additional cases in Assam, Bihar, and Telangana.
In 2021, the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution to eliminate harmful practices related to witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks. Data from the UN shows that between 2009 and 2019, there were about 20,000 documented cases of such practices across 60 countries.
What are the Legislative Efforts to Address Witch-Hunting?
India has several state-specific laws addressing witch-hunting:
1) Bihar: Prevention of Witch (Daain) Practices Act (1993)
2) Jharkhand: Prevention of Witch (Daain) Practices Act (2001)
3) Chhattisgarh: Tonahi Pratadna Nivaran Act (2005)
4) Odisha: Prevention of Witch Hunting Act (2013) etc.
What are the reasons behind persistence of witchcraft or witch hunting in India?
1) Lack of education and ignorance often result in mentally ill people being wrongly labeled as “witches,” especially during disease outbreaks.
2) Widowed, single, or childless women are often targeted due to the desire to seize their property.
3) The existing laws are recent. Common problems include low rates of prosecution and conviction, and insufficient penalties, as seen in Jharkhand.
4) There is no national law on witch-hunting. The purpose of state laws can be unclear: Odisha’s law covers both witch-hunting and witchcraft, Assam and Rajasthan penalize alleged witches (with Rajasthan also targeting communities), and Maharashtra focuses on black magic.
5) This issue is likely underreported in India, meaning the actual numbers may be much higher.
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What should be the way forward?
1) Modern countries should have specific legislation to address the issue.
2) There should be a clear distinction between witchcraft and witch-hunting. The IPC (or its replacement) should have specific sections for both witchcraft and witch-hunting
3) The NCRB should update its reporting to include separate categories for these issues, rather than just labeling them as murders with witchcraft motives.
For a country aiming for modernity and development, it is essential to tackle witch-hunting with thorough and effective measures.
Question for practice
What are the reasons for the ongoing issue of witchcraft or witch hunting in India, and what should be the proposed solutions?
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