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Project Prahari to tackle witch-hunting

By Staff reporter

GUWAHATI, March 30 � The Government would direct the Project Prahari authorities to make the people aware against witch hunting and to take legal action against those involved in such cases, said Minister Rockybul Hussain. He was replying to a call attention motion moved by Pramila Rani Brahma and Kamal Sing Narzary of the BPF in the State Assembly here on Thursday.

The Government is taking steps to eradicate witch hunting and dowry death, he affirmed and made an appeal to the MLAs to extend their support and cooperation to the campaign to eradicate all types of crime against women.

The MLAs should come forward to mobilize opinion builders in this respect, the Minister said.

The Government, he said, would involve even the DIGs of the ranges if the situation so demands, to check crime against women like witch hunting and those found guilty in killing women may face penalties like life imprisonment and death sentence, according to the legal provisions, he said.

The Government in its bid to eradicate such ills has been trying to empower the women economically, politically and socially. Self-help groups of women in the village level and women federations for the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) schemes have been encouraged for the purpose, besides providing 33 per cent reservation to them in the panchayats.

The Government is now considering enhancement of reservation for women to 50 per cent in the gaon panchayats and other local self-governing bodies.

Earlier, raising the issue, Pramila Rani Brahma stressed on making the village headmen responsible in checking crime against women and called for initiatives on the part of the Government to pass in the Assembly the Bill prepared by the State Women Commission to check witch hunting.

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