Raipur: A rationalist outfit in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh has launched a campaign to declare ‘social boycott’ as a crime and enact a law against the practice.
“We have planned to stage dharna (sit-in) in all 27 districts of the state in support of our demand to introduce an Act prohibiting social boycott and ensure justice to the victims of this menace,” said Dinesh Mishra, chairperson of the Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (forum for the removal blind respect), an organization based at Raipur, capital of Chhattisgarh.
He told The Times of India that the outfit has covered Raipur and Bilaspur district where he said people have suffered the brunt of social boycott.
Mishra, a Raipur-based ophthalmologist, has launched a battle against social evils, including superstition and black magic for the past two decades.
He had also spearheaded the movement which led to the introduction of Witchcraft Atrocities (Prevention) Act in 2005 in Chhattisgarh, to eliminate the locally known ‘Tonhi’ cult, (branding a woman as witch and witchcraft practitioner).
As per reply under Right to Information Act, neither the National Crime Records Bureau nor the state government has statistics of social boycott cases despite a large number of individuals and families leading ostracised lives, Mishra said.
A general survey by the samiti claimed that at least 25,000 people faced social boycott imposed by local groups based castes and religious communities. Reasons for the boycott are inter-caste marriage, refusal to follow the diktats of community heads and opposing orthodox beliefs.
Such boycotted individuals and their families had to live in isolation in villages as no one is allowed to talk to them and not exchange anything with them. They are not allowed to use hand pumps or ponds and are restricted from participating in village gatherings and procuring ration from local grocery shops, Mishra said, adding that many a times they are ostracised from their native place.
Moreover, community panchayats also impose heavy fines or physical punishment on the boycotted families to withdraw restrictions imposed on them, he added.