Meerut, July 13 -- A panchayat organized in village Asara of district Baghpat on Wednesday banned women of 40 years and less from using mobile phones and also directed them not to visit markets without male companion. The panchayat also decided to boycott love marriages in the village. Police , however, has shown ignorance about any such panchayats. "We are not aware about such panchayat and their decrees against women", said the ADG office in Baghpat.
Asara is a muslim dominated village of Ramala area in district Baghpat. However, people from all castes and communities participated in the panchayat to discuss prevailing social evils in the society.
After a long discussion majority of villagers held frequent use of mobile phones responsible for many persisiting evils in the society.
Thereafter it was unanimously decided to put a ban on the use of mobile phones especially by women aged 40 years and below. The panchayat also directed the women not to go markets without having a male companion.
According to the sources village pradhan Musharraf was not present in the panchauyat but its decisions were unanimously accepted by the villagers.
The matter of love marriage was also discussed in the panchayat and majority of participants agreed to discourage such marriages in the interest of the society. They unanimously resolved to boycott love marriages in the village.
The panchayat was third of its kind in the district in past one year.
Earlier, a panchayat in village Basaud banned unmarried girls from using mobile phones and another panchayat in village Gauspur also placed ban on playing loud music in mobile phones and use of DJs in marriages.
Published by HT Syndication with permission from Hindustan Times.