Haryana’s infamous khaps are turning to home-grown detectives to keep an eye on ‘errant’ village girls who wear western clothes and use mobile phones while away in towns and cities to study or work.
According to Pradhan of Dhankhar Khap, Om Prakash Dhankhar, wearing jeans is obscene. Dhankar said, “This decision has been taken to keep the tradition intact, as it has come to our notice that the girls attending colleges in cities are leaving their villages in traditional dress but in the cities they change into western outfits. They take these dresses on rent and use mobile phones.” The khaps demand action against shopkeepers who retail the girls’ western clothes or provide these on rent or keep their mobile phones for a sum that range between `200 and `500 per month, he added.
Taking a cue from Dhankar Khap, the Barha Khap Panchayat of Jhajjar district recently issued a diktat barring girls of about a dozen villages from wearing jeans and using mobile phones. Pradhan of the khap, Jagdev Singh said, “We have taken this decision as girls wear such western dresses which attract boys, and then crimes against women take place. We will ensure that our decision is implemented by all institutions, where girls aged above 10 years visit. Girls would be allowed to wear salwar-kameez only.”
All these diktats have come out in the last 10 days; two recent incidents have brought back the focus on the shocking honour killings. In a Rohtak village, a young couple - fine arts student Nidhi and her childhood friend Dharmender - were tortured and killed by Nidhi’s family in public view because they married against the family’s will. Couples from upper castes and Dalit communities are also killed alike in the name of saving family ‘honour’; of late, there have been no dearth of such depressing news from the hinterland of Haryana.
Also read: Detectives to watch 'errant' Haryana girls