A khap panchayat meeting in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district has triggered widespread discussion after it announced restrictions on children using smartphones and banned both boys and girls from wearing shorts or half pants in public spaces.
A Khap Panchayat in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh has banned half-pants and mobile phones for boys, saying shorts have bad influence on girls and women in the society. The panchayat's new directive is to control smartphone usage among children and to prohibit boys and girls from wearing half pants or shorts in public.
The 'Thamba Patti Mehar Deshkhap' panchayat claims this move is to prevent the growing western influence on children and youth and to protect cultural values. The panchayat has urged parents to discourage minors from using smartphones, arguing that they lead children down the wrong path.
Decent Attire
The panchayat suggested that boys should wear kurta-pyjamas instead of half pants, and girls should wear salwar-kurtas. They say that decent attire is necessary to maintain discipline in the village.
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A video with explanations of the decision taken by the Khap Panchayat in Baghpat is now widely circulating on social media. A Khap representative explains the logic behind the dress code restrictions. “Jaise ye humare ladke hai, ye half-pant pehnte hai. Aur ye ghar mein bhi phente hai aur bahar bhi. Ghar mein pehnte hai tabhi toh bahar bhi pehnte hai. Pant pehno, kurta-pyjama pehno aur jo samaj ka hai use pehn kar bahar chalo.Bahar gali mein jate hai – ladke bhi, ladkiya bhi – toh ye ek bhadda pardarshan hai samaj ke beech. Toh esme jo nirnay samaj ne liya hai, usko hum follow karenge (Our boys wear half pants)," he said.
They wear them at home and also outside. Because they wear them at home, they end up wearing them outside as well. Wear full pants, kurta-pyjama, and step out wearing clothes that align with social norms. When boys and girls go out in public lanes like this, it becomes an indecent display in society. So the decision taken by the community will be followed)."
The speaker also links half pants to ideological influence and says, “Ye half-pant toh RSS ki hai, unhone toh kabhi tiranga jhanda apne mukhalaye par lagaya hi nahi (These half pants belong to the RSS. They have never even put up the national flag at their headquarters)."
While one section alleges this is an infringement on personal freedom, another argues that such restrictions are necessary for children's development.
No Need for Wedding Halls
The panchayat also suggested avoiding weddings in marriage halls instead conducting simple ceremonies in one's own village or courtyard. This will supposedly help strengthen family ties and avoid unnecessary expenses. They also announced that sending invitations via WhatsApp instead of printing expensive cards is acceptable. Some leaders, including Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) MP Rajkumar Sangwan, have come out in support of this decision, saying such moves are necessary to protect cultural values.
They warned that action will be taken against those who violate this directive of the panchayat. Khap panchayats in many villages in North India have imposed similar dress code restrictions in the past. Previous restrictions on girls using phones and wearing jeans had sparked controversy.
