Witchcraft & Sorcery

What is Witchcraft?

Harmful anti-social attitude and action, by possessing the evil powers with a pact with devils

What is Banamati?

The belief that certain members of the community can harm others by supernatural means

How witchcraft is different from sorcerer?

A witch is a female with inherent supernatural power to harm others

A sorcerer is a conscious individual endowed with evil intentions, malice and hatred, having magical powers

Social sections affected

Socially and economically poor, women, SC, ST and BC

Causes for Banamati scare

• Cultural belief
• Social milieu
• Oppressed and suppressed
• Illiteracy
• Ignorance
• Lack of medical help
• Political and social rivalries
• Marital/personal problems
• Psychological
• Belief in supernatural and evil powers
• Superstitions

Reasons for Banamati Belief

• Poverty –80%
• Illiteracy –80%
• Lack of mobility –90%
• Lack of health –80%
• Suppression & oppression –70%
• Superstitions & belief in mantras –95%

Who is suspected as Witch/Sorcerer?

• Abnormal and strange behaviour
• Stranger to village
• Social feuds
• Chanting something which others do not understand

Methods of torture of the suspected

• Fine – Individual/family
• Beating
• Plucking of teeth
• Cutting of tongue and ears
• Breaking limbs
• Disfiguring
• Social outcast/boycott
• Forced to vacate house/land
• Driven away from village
• Illegal occupation of property
• False accusations
• Torture of relatives
• Burning alive
• Mental torture

Recommendations to overcome this social evil

• Awareness programmes against Banamati
• Improve health facilities in rural areas
• Mobile medical teams
• Admit Banamati patients in hospitals and provide immediate medical care and educate against Banamati
• Appoint psychiatrists & psychologists, medical social workers in Mandal HQ
• Socio-economic uplift and poverty eradication measures
• Improve communications (electronic & transport) in rural areas
• Encourage NGOs
• Start more schools in rural areas
• Formal /Non-formal education
• Include in School Syllabus lessons against Banamati
• Make stringent laws against Banamati
• Make Banamati offences cognizable
• Strong punishment for offenders
• Role of media (print & electronic)
• Ban TV serials and Cinemas which strengthen Banamati belief
• Promote Science Yatras/Magic Shows
• Organize youth and women
• Cultural programmes
• Protect Banamati victims

Government's role

• Dispel superstitions
• Promote scientific temper
• Provide medical facilities
• Proactive role in fighting Banamati
• Political will

Source: Portal Content Team