Cellphones have brought the world closer. But unfortunately, in Madora village of Uttar Pradesh, cellphones are considered to be devices that lead to erosion of moral and ethical values in women. And so, this village is trying to discourage the use of cellphones among its women by slapping a fine of Rs 21,000 on them if they are seen committing the crime of talking on the cellphone in public.
“Every week, there is a story about young boys running away with girls. In some cases, the elopement leads to violence. So an informal meeting of villagers decided that girls should use mobile phones only within the boundaries of their homes,” Mohammad Ghaffar
According to panchayat member Ghaffar Khan, a majority of the women there are uneducated and therefore, there is no need for them to own a cellphone in public. The Panchayat members blame cellphones to be the main reason behind affairs and elopements that can tarnish the village's image. The new rule, according to them, will thwart women from interacting with men.
“Every week, there is a story about young boys running away with girls. In some cases, the elopement leads to violence. So an informal meeting of villagers decided that girls should use mobile phones only within the boundaries of their homes,” Mohammad Ghaffar, former head of the village, told The Hindu.
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The police authorities, however, offered a ray of hope by assuring that they will intervene if they find anything is going against the freedom of women.
Such regressive measures to curtail women's freedom have been taken in the past as well. In November 2016, a village in Aligarh reportedly banned girls from using cellphones and wearing jeans and shirts as it was against the Indian traditions.
Such decisions by our so-called policymakers compel one to question the nature of our democracy and whether it is practised in its real form. With decisions of this kind, women benefitting from the digital revolution seems to be a distant dream.
Read Also: How Cellphones Can Financially Empower Women
Charvi Is An Intern With SheThePeople.TV
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