Indian village bans mobile phone use by women
PATNA, India - Dec 5 (Reuters)
A village council in the eastern Indian state of Bihar has banned the use of mobile phones by women, saying the phones were "debasing the social atmosphere" by leading to elopements - a move that set off outraged protests from activists.
In addition to the ban, the
Sunderbari village council in a Muslim-dominated area some 385 kilometers
(239
miles) east of Patna, the capital of Bihar, has also
imposed a fine of 10,000 rupees ($180) if a girl is caught using a mobile phone
on the streets.
Married women would have to
pay 2,000 rupees ($36.60).
"It always gives us a lot
of embarrassment when someone asks who has eloped this time,"? said Manuwar
Alam, who heads a newly-formed committee tasked with enforcing the ban,
referring to queries from neighbouring villages.
He said the number of
elopements and extramarital love affairs had risen in the past few months, with
at least six girls and women fleeing their homes.
"Even married women were
deserting their husbands to elope with lovers. That was shameful for us," Alam
said. "So, we decided to tackle it firmly. Mobile phones are debasing the social
atmosphere"?.
Local officials have begun
investigations, saying that such bans cannot be allowed in a healthy society,
while women's rights activists called it an assault on freedom that could
potentially end up harming women by stripping them of one source of protection
from trouble, such as unwanted advances by men.
"Girls and women are
capable enough to protect themselves," said activist Suman Lal during a debate
on local television. "Technology is meant to be used, not to be banned...The
order is nauseating."
Fellow activist Mohammad
Islam said it was "disappointing" that the village council ignored the many
advantages of mobile phones before placing a ban on them for one reason.
"I want every girl to be
given a mobile phone so that she could call up family members if she has a
problem"?, he said.
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