Borjhar: The Assam government has finally allotted land to anti-superstition crusader Birubala Rabha to build a permanent shelter for women hounded out of their homes after being branded witches ( dainees).
The shelter will be built under Mission Birubala, a campaign against witch hunting that began in 2011.
The 8- bigha plot at Rombuk under Dudhnoi revenue circle in Goalpara was allotted after the circle officer of Dudhnoi revenue circle submitted a proposal that was approved by the district land advisory committee.
“It is the fulfilment of a long-standing and much-needed demand to provide shelter to the victims of witch-hunts. Once you are branded a witch, the person, including their wards, can no longer stay in their villages,” Birubala told this correspondent.
A proposal to allot 5 bighas of land at Dudhnoi revenue town to the mission was sent to the state government for final approval in 2013. However, after objections of some villages, the circle officer of Dudhnoi revenue circle was asked to send an alternate proposal.
The 56-year-old activist said inmates of the shelter would be imparted training in various fields.
“Under the project (Mission Birubala), we have already chalked out a plan to carry out activities such as agriculture and pisciculture to ensure economic security and self-reliance,” she said.
A counselling centre for victims will also be built on the plot.
“It is disheartening that despite sensitising the villagers about the futility of believing in superstitions, the victims, when sent back to their respective villages, are subject to ignominy. Their wards are not spared either. So their shelter tops the list of our priority at this hour. Their wards also have to face difficulties at school,” Natyabir Das, the co-ordinator of Mission Birubala, said.
“The process of officially allotting the plot is nearing completion. We are all set to start our project at the site,” Das said.
The land settlement document in favour of the project was sent to Goalpara deputy commissioner on March 3,The Telegraph reported .
Birubala said it was imperative to defeat the nefarious designs of perpetrators of such crimes (witch-hunting).
“It is important to make women aware of the menace. Also, considering the tremendous power wielded by the gaon burah (village headman) in areas which are usually far away from administration, they could play a major role to help fight the menace,” she said.
Under the project, working cells have been formed to make the youth aware of the menace in several colleges of the state, including Dibrugarh University.
The Assam Assembly had in August last year unanimously passed the Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2015, making any offence under the act non-bailable, cognisable and non-compoundable to eliminate the superstition from society.