Anti-ghoonghat drive during Sikar polls
JAIPUR: After chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s call for a campaign against the regressive custom of ghoonghat, the Sikar administration has launched an initiative to encourage women to remove their ghoonghat and cast their votes in the panchayat polls that begin from Friday.
Anuradha Saxena, assistant director in the women and child development department in Sikar, has initiated a drive against ghoonghat.
Saxena said, “We have asked our functionaries to motivate women who come to cast their votes in ghoonghat to remove their veil and cast their votes confidently.”
Saxena said the administration took inspiration for the campaign after the CM’S push. Gehlot had in December called for an end to the regressive practice of ghoonghat and said women cannot be empowered till they remain behind the ghoonghat.
PK Pawan, director, women empowerment directorate said the chief minister had taken a video conference with collectors and asked them to take initiatives in their respective districts.
He said the government functionaries and NGOS have been roped in to organise rallies, meetings and poster campaigns in villages and schools to motivate men and women.
Pawan said the campaign is only limited to ghoonghat and not against the burqa. Saxena said the administration is targeting not just women but also men to create awareness and change the mindset of people towards the veil.
She said the administration is working at three levels to create awareness, first is through posters, through ratri chaupals and through meetings ahead of the panchayat polls.
“We brought out posters which we pasted at various locations to create awareness. In the poster, we have shown a man who says that he does not support the custom of ghoonghat.
Secondly, the administration is also giving the message and creating awareness during the ratri chaupal of the collector. “Many men including ward panch, sarpanch, patwari, tehsildar attend the ratri chaupal and the message will percolate down.”
Thirdly, a month before the polls, the saathins of the WCD department held meetings with women in villages to talk on the issue of ghoonghat.
Saxena said the response from the women was encouraging. “Initially there is some resistance and hesitation but eventually the women do understand and some will act on it too,”
Other administrations too are t aking up t he CM’S call for action. Jaipur collector Dr Jogaram has also said that an action plan will be created to run a campaign against the practice of ghoonghat.