Jamshedpur: Free Legal Aid Committee (FLAC) on Saturday felicitated Chhutni Mahato, the first woman Padma Shri Awardee of Jharkhand, who was conferred with one of the highest civilian awards on Republic Day in 2021.
Chhutni Mahato is a resident of Seraikela-Kharsawan district, who has been awarded Padma Shri for having saved scores of women accursed to live as ‘witches’ in Jharkhand.
On the other hand FLAC is an organisation that is credited with launch of a campaign against witch-hunting in Jharkhand that led to formulation of a law against witch-hunt.
FLAC was formed in 1977 by four social activists. Two of the founders are no more, while two others Premchand and Jawaharlal Sharma, are still leading the organisation and the movement.
FLAC has the credit of highlighting the menace of witch-hunt in rural areas of Jharkhand and had apprised the union government too. Later, an Act was put in place against witch-hunt.
Chhutni Devi, 62, too was a victim of this superstitious belief and was a branded a witch herself. She was referred to FLAC by Nidhi Khare and was later supported by the DC of West Singhbhum, Amit Khare. Since then, she has herself saved and rescued scores of women. She herself was a victim of a murder and rape bid on her after being branded as a witch after someone died in her neighbourhood.
Her life story is not only inspiring, but scaring too. She was married only at an age of 13. In 1995, a few neighbours attempted sexual assault on her and charged her with indulging in black magic just because a girl fell sick in the neighbourhood.
She had to flee home. No one came to her rescue. However, IAS officer Nidhi Khare helped her and sent her to FLAC. Later, the West Singhbhum DC Amit Khare helped her set up an anti-witch-hunt centre.
The centre has so far saved more than 125 women in different parts of the state.
A documentary was also made on Chhutni Devi in 1996 and a Bollywood film Kala Sach – The Dark Truth was also made on her life in 2014.
FLAC has helped Chhutni Mahato since the time she launched her fight against witch-hunt.
During the felicitation programme, Chhutni Devi said that all credit for her success go to FLAC. She said that she would continue fighting against the menace of witch-hunt.
The Founder of FLAC Premchand also reiterated the organisation’s resolve to continue the fight against superstition.
