Hindustan Times (Bathinda)

Girls should not wear jeans or use mobile phone: Rajasthan panchayat

- Suresh Foujdar htraj@hindustant­imes.com

BHARATPUR: A village khap anchayat in Dholpur has said that girls should not wear jeans and “attractive clothes” and avoid using mobile phones as they are “ruining our culture.”

The decision will bring a stop to incidents of molestatio­n, the members said.The Baldiyapur­a panchayat — under Sepmau subdivisio­n— also initiated a ban on alcohol consumptio­n and have also said in the case of a dispute villagers should not approach the police, but try and solve it through the panchayat.

In case, they fail to arrive at a solution at the panchayat, the villagers can then approach the police.

The village khap panchayat also announced that those found consuming alcohol would be fined ₹1,100 and those who inform the panchayat about the sale and consumptio­n of alcohol would be given ₹500.

Selling of tobacco pouches will also be banned at all the shops in the village, said the khap panchayat members.

According to the khap panchayat members, girls wearing jeans and using mobiles ruin Indian culture. Most of the girls in the villages, nowadays, follow western tradition and wear wearing clothes.

Parents of girls were asked to not give them jeans and mobiles and also advised to monitor their daughters’ activities.

The panchayat members also clarified that their decisions will be implemente­d “forcibly” in the village.

“Good decisions were taken by the panchayat to eradicate social evils. Incidents of rape and molestatio­n are on the rise as women wear attractive clothes,” said Kanasil Hariom Singh Parmar, the panchayat sarpanch said.

Members appointed by the panchayat will take action against those who flout the rules.

The panchayat will hold a meeting on the first day of every month to discuss developmen­ts.

Baldiyapur­a, which is dominated by the Kushwaha community, has a population of around 2,500.

The same initiative­s will soon be implemente­d in other villages under Kansil panchayat.

“Our aim to do away with all bad habits in the village. We have put a ban on girls wearing jeans and attractive clothes for the overall developmen­t of the village,” said Dhaniram Kushawaha, a panchayat member.

Block developmen­t officer (BDO) Vinay Singh said that he was not aware of the panchayat’s decisions but will probe the matter.

Additional district collector (ADC) of Dholpur Vinod Kumar Meena said that the khap panchayat’s ban on the consumptio­n and the sale of alcohol is a good step but the decision to ban girl from wearing jeans and using mobile phones is against the law.

“We have not received any complaint, but will consider legal action against them (panchayat members) after getting a complaint,” said Meena.

THE VILLAGE KHAP PANCHAYAT ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT THOSE FOUND CONSUMING ALCOHOL WOULD BE FINED ₹1,100

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