Gujarat Community Bans Phones Among Girls To Prevent "Wrong Things"

The Thakor Community of Gujarat on Monday prohibited the use of mobile phones among the community’s teenage girls. While unanimously passing the resolution to bring reforms to the community, they decided to stop girls from using mobile phones.

Reportedly the community imposed this reformation measure to prevent "wrong things from happening" because of the use of mobile phones among teenage girls.

Gujarat Community Bans Phones For Girls

The community claimed that "a lot of wrong things are happening because of the use of cell phones among teenage girls, and so they should be banned from using cell phones."

The resolution was reportedly passed in the presence of Congress MLA Vav Geniben Thakor. The event took place on Sunday at Lunsela village in Bhabhar Taluka in Banaskantha district.

The reform was to limit the number of guests allowed at engagement and marriage ceremonies. Only 11 people should attend engagement and marriage ceremonies, according to the resolution. Each village that has a good number of members of the Thakor community should arrange mass marriages, and expenses should be controlled. DJs should not be hired for marriage ceremonies.

The community should impose fines on families that call off engagements, and the money collected as a fine should be used for building education and community facilities. The resolution also mentioned that if girls are going uptown to pursue higher education, community members from the village should arrange transportation for them.

Previously in 2019, a similar bizarre rule was imposed by the Thakor community where girls were reportedly being banned from using mobile phones in the Banaskantha district of north Gujarat. Unmarried girls in the community were prohibited from using mobile phones in the community. If a girl was found breaking the rule, her father will have a pay a fine of Rs. 1.5 lakhs.

Maharastra Village Goes On Digital Detox Every Day

Since October 2022, the Vadgaon Village in Maharastra’s Sangali district has imposed a digital detox practise and goes completely offline for one and a half hours every day.

A siren goes off sharply at 7 p.m. in the village, and all residents are required to turn off their televisions and mobile phones. When the siren rings again at 8.30 p.m., the television and mobile phones can be switched on again.

Suggested Reading: 32% Of Women In India Own Mobile Phones: Gender Inequality And Digital Divide Continues