NEW DELHI, Dec 24: A Jat panchayat has banned using of camera-fitted smart mobile phones by married women belonging to a particular sect in Jalore district in Rajasthan. They will be allowed to use only basic keypad phones that can send or receive only voice calls.
Ironically, the ban order will come into force for the women on January 26, the Republic Day. The diktat was issued at a caste panchayat held in Ghazipur village on December 21.
The panchayat ordered that no daughter-in-law or young woman from 15 villages in the Bhinmal-Khanpur area carry camera-enabled mobile phones to weddings, public gatherings, and even while visiting neighbours, from January 26. They can use only basic keypad phones for voice calls.
The Sundhamata Patti panchayat of the Chaudhary clan took the decision “with consensus,” citing concerns of mobile addiction and the impact of screentime on children’s eyesight. Panch Himmataram read out the proposal, which was passed as a resolution after discussions among all panchayat members and elders, who agreed to implement the rule.
Community head Sujanaram Chaudhary presided over the panchayat meeting. The resolution stated that girls pursuing education would be allowed to use smartphones at home “strictly for academic purposes,” but would be barred from carrying the devices to social events, weddings or neighborhood visits.
Mr Chaudhary later said the decision had been taken because children often used mobile phones of women in their household, which affected their eyesight due to prolonged screen exposure. “Some women give their phones to children to keep them distracted, allowing them to focus on their daily chores,” he said.
The ban will be enforced in the villages of Ghazipur, Pawali, Kalda, Manojiyawas, Rajikawas, Datlawas, Rajpura, Kodi, Sidrodi, Aldi, Ropsi, Khanadewal, Savidhar, Hathmi Ki Dhani, and Khanpur.
A video footage of the proclamation being read out at the panchayat meeting was circulated online, drawing sharp criticism from social activists and women’s rights groups. Though the mechanism for the decision’s enforcement remained unclear, it was seen as an attempt to protect family honor and privacy in the matrimonial homes.
An “What can the men do? Put all the women in jail? Good luck with that. This is so ridiculous,” she said. Another social media user asked the women to “definitely accept” the ban, with the condition that the men have to stop consuming paan, bidis, cigarettes, hookah and alcohol, and not keep moustaches.
(Rohit Kumar)
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