Gujarat's Thakor community bans girls form using mobile phones

Palanpur (Gujarat), Feb 20 (IANS) The Thakor Community here has prohibited the community's teenage girls from using mobile phones.

The community, while unanimously passing resolutions to bring reforms in the community traditions, however, decided to stop the girls from using mobile phones.

Without referring to love affairs, friendship between girls and boys, or inter-caste marriages, the community was of the view that "because of the use of cell phones among teenage girls, a lot of wrong things are happening, and so they should be banned from using cell phones."

The resolution was passed in presence of Congress MLA Vav Geniben Thakor.

The event took place on Sunday at Lunsela village in Bhabhar Taluka in Banaskantha district.

The reform step they took was to limit the number of guests allowed at engagement and marriage ceremonies. According to the resolution, only 11 people should attend an engagement or marriage ceremony, each village where the Thakor community has a good number of members should arrange mass marriages, and expenses on marriage and engagement should be controlled. No DJ sound system should be hired for marriage.

The community should fine families, who break ties after engagement, the money collected as fine should be used for building education and community facilities. If girls are going uptown for higher education, the community members from the village should arrange transportation for them, the resolutions mentioned.