Haryana Khap leaders slam Hindu outfit's call for ban on jeans and cellphones

Chandigarh: A recent statement issued by the Hindu Mahasabha on the dress code for women in Haryana has created a furore and received condemnation from different sections of society. This Taliban-like diktat has not gone down well even with the Khap leaders.

However, the extreme right wing outfit has still not called off its meeting which is scheduled for November 2 in Hisar to demand a ban on women wearing jeans and carrying cellphones.

The statement has got even more prominence as it was issued just a day after the pro-Hindutva BJP government led by Manohar Lal Khattar came to power in Haryana.

Hindu Mahasabha’s vice-president Dharam Pal Siwach said people should implement dress code on their children and prohibit them from using mobile phones. “If we succeed in our campaign we would manage to reduce the incidents of rape and eve-teasing." The Hindu Mahasabha has 40,000 members in Haryana.

Speaking to Firstpost, president of the women wing of Sarv Jat Sarv khap Mahapanchayat of Haryana, Dr Santosh Dahiya, condemned the diktat.

“People are wrong if they think such a ban will stop crime in society. The problem is in the mind, not in the clothes. It is the mindset of men which has to change. Dignity of clothes should be maintained but it’s ultimately the girl’s will that matters. And bans are imposed on girls always. Why not boys?” she said.

The Mahasabha’s diktat has also not been to the liking of the BJP government in the state. The statement, in fact, was slammed by Haryana finance minister Capt Abhimanyu and agriculture minister and president of the Bhartiya Kisan Sabha OP Dhankar.

Capt Abhimanyu said that no civilized society gives right to any organisation to dictate social conduct and life of people. “There are social organizations which do help in overall development of society. No organization has any right to direct how one should dress or how one should not dress,” he said. To a question whether such a diktat may create a law and order problem in Haryana, Capt Abhimanyu said, the BJP would ensure that law and order prevails in the state.

Haryana agriculture minister O P Dhankar said the Hindu Mahasabha’s statement should be ignored. “The group has no existence in Haryana. There is no need to give them any importance via media. Khaps have a lot of intelligent people. They are in favour of modernization and are serving the society well,” he said.

Sudesh Chaudhary, the first woman president of Satrol Khap, condemned the Hindu Mahasabha argument that simple clothes will reduce incidents of rape in the state. “No girl is responsible for her rape. It is the culprit who has wrong intentions,” she said and added, “Society just cannot change by changing clothes. What really needs to change is the wrong mindset of such people. If we want to change the society, we have to change and transform men who have a patriarchal mindset or a criminal mind.”

However, Kandela Khap president Tek Ram Kandela welcomed the decision of the Hindu Mahasabha. Simple clothes would reduce the incidents of rape, he said.

Social activist and Maharashtra state women commission member Dr Asha Mirge also does not support a ban on the jeans and skirts or use of mobile phones by young women, but she says they should nevertheless dress discreetly to avoid unnecessary attention.

“Many times the girls fall prey to the rapists because they are caught unawares. I advise them to be very careful in how they dress or conduct themselves in public for their own safety,’’ Mirge told Firstpost.

Earlier this year, Dr Asha Mirge had told a gathering of girls in Akola in the presence of NCP leader Supriya Sule to be careful of how they dress, how women should do an introspection of their hairstyle and how they should be watchful of where they go, with whom and at what time. Her statement had created a furore then and many people had condemned her statement.