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Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the bereaved family of the late Birubala Rabha, a Padma Shri awardee renowned for her crusade against witch-hunting and superstitions, at her residence in Thakurvila village, North Garo Hills, near the Assam-Meghalaya border.
Birubala Rabha, who dedicated her life to combating social evils and superstitions in rural Assam, passed away on May 13 after a battle with cancer. Her tireless efforts have left an indelible mark on society, significantly reducing the prevalence of such practices.
Speaking to the media during his visit, Chief Minister Sarma expressed profound gratitude for Rabha’s life-long dedication. “Her demise is an irreparable loss for the State. The government will take every step to immortalize her legacy,” he said. He emphasized the importance of continued support from the community in the State’s and civil society’s initiatives to raise awareness against social evils like witch-hunting.
Responding to requests from Rabha’s admirers to declare May 13 as the “Day against Superstitious Beliefs,” Dr. Sarma assured that the matter would be discussed in the State Cabinet. He also mentioned that the government would consider constructing a statue in her honor.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Member of Parliament Dilip Saikia, Chief of Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council Tankeswar Rabha, and senior officials. Together, they paid tribute to Birubala Rabha’s extraordinary contributions to society and pledged to continue her mission of eradicating superstitions and social evils.