Protection of Witch-Hunting: A Tale of Modern Age

Abstract

‘Witchcraft’ is considered as a negative social practice and is labeled as ‘black magic’ in today’s world. In some form or the other, the practice of witchcraft has been a prominent socio-religious phenomenon in almost all existent communities of the globe. Faith in its actuality and presence has been unmoved in societies and religions across the world. It is validated by evidence from the Old Testament, New Testament, Protestant culture, Babylonian societies, Hebrew bible, Jewish culture, Islam, Hinduism, and almost all the documented indigenous communities of the globe. Probing geographically, witchcraft is almost omnipresent as evidently marked by documentations, paintings, and other testimonies emanating from African, American, European, Middle East, South Asian, and Island Nations.

This article initiates by explaining the concept of the practice of witchcraft by delving deep into the philosophy of the progression of mankind with an aim to portray the answers to the questions including “what is witchcraft and why one gets involved in such practices?” Further, it examines the terminology i.e. ‘witchcraft; and identifies the true victims who are considered as ‘witches’ and are subject to various forms of tortures and abuses which is termed as ‘witch-hunting’. Thereafter, it states and examines the nature of legal protection afforded in the country India at large and the state of Odisha in particular and provides an independent and neutral conclusion of the assessment.

Keywords: Witches, Witchcraft, Witch-hunting