WITCH CRAFT HUNTING LAW: A URGE OF TODAY
Keywords:
Witch Craft Hunting, Constitution, Article 21, Society, Nationalized Legislation, Ruthless and Inhuman TreatmentAbstract
The Constitution of India guarantees all its citizens the Fundamental Right to live with personal liberty and human dignity under Article 21 read with Article 14. So, this right also extends to protect the citizens from the evil practices i.e., witch craft hunting, in which many innocent people get preyed to the ruthless and inhuman treatment and even lose their lives. This practice prevails all over the India, where the states like Bihar, M.P., Jharkhand, Haryana, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, M.P. have their respective State Law to control Witch Craft Hurting. Even in India, there are a number of National – International Agencies, which try to control this evil practice. But, it is no possible to eradicate this problem from the root without having proper Rules and Regulations. So, now it is correct time to have Nationalized legislature to control this Witch Craft Hunting Practice.
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