Khap Panchayat comes down heavily on both genders, bans shorts for men

A khap panchayat in Shamli has decided to bar men from wearing shorts in public places According to them, men wearing shorts in public places sets a dangerous precedent The khap panchayat has already banned jeans and mobile phones for women

Two wrongs do not make a right. But the khap panchayat of this Uttar Pradesh village thinks it does. A khap panchayat in Shamli has decided to bar men from wearing shorts in public places.

The 'Khap Swabhiman Sammelan', a group comprising 35 khap leaders, had met on Thursday, July 27, to "rejuvenate the khap system".

The Times of India reported head of Balyan khap Naresh Tikait saying, “Men wearing shorts in public places sets a dangerous precedent. If girls are discouraged from wearing jeans, why should boys not be banned from wearing shorts? We do not differentiate between sons and daughters."

Earlier in 2014, a community panchayat in Uttar Pradesh had banned girls from wearing jeans and keeping mobile phones claiming that they were having a “bad” effect on them and were responsible for eve-teasing incidents.

"Men wearing shorts in public places set a bad precedent. If girls are discouraged from wearing jeans, why should boys not be banned from wearing shorts? We do not differentiate between sons and daughters," said Naresh Tikait, head of Balyan khap.

The panchayat is of the opinion that wearing ‘objectionable’ clothes and using mobile phones by unmarried girls are the reason for untoward incidents.