Stories of lovestruck youngsters using cell phones as a tool to elope from homes are many in the country. In an attempt to put a full stop to all these incidents, Thakor community in 12 villages of Dantewada taluka in Banaskantha district in Gujarat has passed on a strict resolution banning inter-caste marriages and also prohibiting unmarried girls from using mobile phones. The decision comes after several inter-caste marriages were recently reported from the district.
Also, the resolution has laid out huge penalties for families in which inter-caste marriages happen. In case if a Thakor girl falls in love with and marries a boy from another community, the family will have to pay a hefty fine of Rs 1.5 lakh. If a Thakor boy marries a girl from another community, then the fine is Rs 2 lakh.
It was on July 14 that a meeting of nearly 800 Thakor leaders, including community and mohalla representatives and youths from the 12 villages was held at Jegol village, where a nine-point resolution was passed and everyone was ordered to follow it.
So anyone violating any of the nine points will be declared an offender and penalised by the community, the resolution added. The order also says unmarried girls will not be permitted to use mobile phones and the parents of those found carrying the mobile phones will be held responsible.
Congress MLA from Vav constituency identified as Geniben Nagaji, who belongs to the Thakor community completely supports the ban on inter-caste marriages and ban on mobile phone use among unmarried girls. She highlighted that it would put a full stop to such “incidents”.
“I receive distress calls daily from parents whose daughter has run away with a boy (from another caste). Also, in the past one month there have been nearly 10 cases of young boys and girls jumping into canals and committing suicide,” she said.
When asked how was it justified to ban just girls from using mobiles, she had a very interesting answer. She said, “This will automatically control boys. Since girls are easily controlled because they stay with parents, it is right to ban (mobile phone use among) girls.”