Remember when back in 2014, a khap panchayat in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh had banned the use of mobile phones and wearing jeans for girls? The panchayat has this time come down with yet another set of regulations, this time for the men- do NOT wear shorts in the village as the clothing looks distasteful.
Speaking to ANI, The Balyan khap panchayat leader Naresh Tikait said it is not appropriate to impose restrictions only on women.
"Elders decided to not allow men going about market places & daily public life in half pants as it is distasteful. We can't call it an order; it is a piece of advice. Only imposing such restrictions on girls is no solution," Tikait was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Elders decided to not allow men going about market places & daily public life in half pants as it is distasteful. We can't call it an order; it is a piece of advice. Only imposing such restrictions on girls is no solution: Naresh Tikait, Khap Panchayat leader, Muzaffarnagar pic.twitter.com/jHvSfBLBDp
— ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2020
The 'reform' by the panchayat has been met with diverse reactions on Twitter. Like last time, several people criticized the diktat and said this wasn't in sync with the progressiveness of the 21st century.
Are we living in 21st century? The whole world is going ahead and India is going backward in the name of culture and traditions.
— Rupam Sarkar (@rupamsarkar) October 30, 2020
Lo ab local Panchayte taye karegi kya pehno kya khao! Very good
— Rahul (@getrahul1) October 30, 2020
Where we are heading these days, if these kind unconstitutional Organization will release advisory, What these elected Govt. are doing to stop these kind of nuisance ?
— Sagar K. Ram (@Sagar___Ram) October 30, 2020
New kind of feminism ~ we wouldn’t start treating women as individuals with free will but will take the free will away from men too. The Khap way of ensuring equality.
— Jas Oberoi | ਜੱਸ ਓਬਰੌਏ (@iJasOberoi) October 30, 2020
Back in 2014, while banning jeans and use of mobile phones for women, the khap panchayat leader had said girls wearing jeans 'spoil the society.'
Tikait said that the ban on women wearing jeans has met with success and now it was time to 'reform' the boys.
Tikait reportedly said that the 'reform' comes after several women in the village complained against men wearing shorts. He said that if someone is spotted in shorts, their name and address will be noted and the panchayat will take strict action against him.
Also in 2014, Tikait had criticised the Supreme Court, saying it "should not interfere with khap customs governing marriages."
“The marriage of our children is our sole business. We invest more than Rs 30-40 lakh on their education, upbringing, but when it comes to marriage, they run away and live with girls of same gotra under police protection," Tikait had said.