The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Assam’s crusader against witch-hunting dies: ‘Haven’t met anyone as brave as her’
LONG BEFORE there was any institutional effort to address witch hunting in Ass am, a diminutive woman would travel from village to village, intervening every time she learnt of cases of women being targeted in the name of the outdated practice.
It wasn’t easy by any measure. Despite threats of violence, social ostracisation for her declaration that witches do not exist, and even being branded a witch herself, Birubala Rabha stood her ground. On Monday, Birubala, Assam’s storied crusader against witch-hunting and the recipient of several honours, including the Padma Shri, passed away at the ageof75.
The work by Birubala and her local Mahila Samiti (self-help group) in Assam's Goalpara district grew in 2011 into the NGO 'Mission Birubala', a grouping of activists, lawyers and survivors, united by their resolve to end with-hunting.
When Assam finally tabled the Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Bill in 2015, making witch-hunting a “conginisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable” offence, Birubala and her NGO were seen as the force behind the law. The Act ultimately came into effect in 2018.
Anamika Baruah, an executive member of Mission Birubala, says Birubala rescued about 35 women in her personal capacity, after which the NGO rescued another 55 women. “Her courage was inspiring, I have never met a woman as courageous as her... I haven’t met any men as brave as her either,” says Baruah.
For someone who didn’t study beyond Class 5, Birubala impressed many with her rational and logical thinking. While talking of what led her to question superstitious beliefs, many narrate an incident from 1985. That year, when her eldest son fell ill, a local quack had a dire diagnosis: that the young man had fallen in love with a fairy and would die in three days. when he survived his illness, Birubala began her journey of questioning and standing up for victims of superstition.
“There was a time when she was isolated in her own village, ostracised for challenging superstitions and community beliefs.
When she would go to help victims, she would be attacked too. Her associate Usha baideu (elder sister) once told me about this time when they got news of people trying to kill a woman in another village. To get there, they had to cross a river. By the time they were returning, it was late at night and Usha baideu was terrified. But Birubala borma (a term of endearment) told her that there was nothing to fear,” says Baruah of Mission Birubala.
Baruah was referring to Usha Rabha, Birubala Rabha’s longtime associate with whom she worked for more than a decade since2005. Talkingto The Indian Express, Usha said they worked hard so that “one day, future generations would never call anyone a daini (witch)”.
Former Assam DGP Kuladhar Saikia, who worked with Birubala when he launched project pr ah ari in 2001, the first institutional move to fight witch-hunting, says she was an embodiment of how “bravery at an individual level can make a big difference in society”.
“A lot of times, victims of witch-hunting are weighed down by fear and trauma, but she was able to come out of her shell and even fight against it. When Project Prahari started in 2001, people were not at all aware of this issue. It was not spoken about in the media... but she came and met me. When she joined me in conducting social awareness programmes in some of the interior areas, I was really happy,” he says.
Over the years, Birubala’s lifetime of work drew her recognition and accolades. In 2021, she was conferred the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth highest civilian award. In 2021, she was conferred the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth highest civilian award. The same year, she was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. Since then, she has shuttled between Guwahati, where she was being treated as the State Cancer Institute, and her home in Goal para. ba ru ah recalls that even after her initial treatment, Birubala continued to attend awareness meetings and programmes until her health took a turn for the worse last year. She passed away on Monday morning, after spending the last few days in intensive care.
“Her daughter and the rest of the activists have been briefed and prepared by her to continue her work. Her legacy will continue,” says Baruah.