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Updated July 2nd, 2020 at 21:49 IST

BJP leader Sonali Phogat bats for women's active role in Khap Panchayats

BJP leader Sonali Phogat on Thursday batted for active participation of women in Khap Panchayats or caste-councils, saying she will like to work to see it happen

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BJP leader Sonali Phogat on Thursday batted for active participation of women in Khap Panchayats or caste-councils, saying she will like to work to see it happen.

Sonali Phogat, who had allegedly thrashed a government official accusing him of making indecent remarks against her, was arrested recently and granted bail by a Hisar court on the same day.

After the thrashing incident, Binain Khap, one of the state's prominent caste-councils, had given the state government an ultimatum to arrest Phogat in a week.

A Tik Tok star-turned-politician, Phogat had accused Khap panchayat members of not supporting her and being mute spectators instead when a man “indulged” in her “character assassination”.

Speaking to reporters at Adampur in Hisar district on Thursday, Phogat referred to the government official’s alleged indecent remarks against her and the subsequent support he drew from a section of Khap, and said she has concluded that women should have active participation in Khaps’ affairs.

She also said she would also work for connecting women with Khaps, which are controlled by men.

“During the past 25 days of this episode, I have arrived at the conclusion that an (active) role should be there for women in Khap Panchayats and I will play a role in connecting women to Khaps,” she said.

Replying to a question, Phogat appeared to soften her stand towards the Khaps, and said, “I respect Khap Panchayats and do not treat them wrong in this (on one Khap supporting the official). Panchayat is like a mother. The way a mother does not discriminate amongst her children, Khaps also make impartial decisions.” She, however, raised questions over the lack of woman’s participation in Khap Panchayats.

“But where are women in them, where are women? Will only men run society? Women constitute half of the population in any society or any country, and any nation or state which does not take its women along, can never make progress,” she said.

“A nation or state progresses only when women are respected and given equal rights,” she asserted.

Khaps are highly influential self-styled caste councils which have drawn flak for controversial diktats on various issues, including the same-gotra (sub-caste) marriages in the past.

Khaps, however, have also been known for taking strong stands against social evils like female foeticide and dowry system during the past few years.

Phogat had earlier been booked for allegedly beating Sultan Singh, the secretary of Hisar market committee, at Balsamand village on June 5, police had said.

Phogat had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 assembly polls from Adampur in Hisar, a seat retained by senior Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi, who is the younger son of Haryana’s former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal.

A video clip, purportedly showing the Hisar BJP leader beating the official with a slipper in full public view had gone viral on social media.

Singh had later lodged a complaint with the police against Phogat while denying making any indecent remarks against her and accusing her of beating him up under a "misconception" that he had opposed her in the assembly elections.

After the incident, market committee employees across the state had protested, demanding Phogat’s arrest.

Police had also registered a case against Sultan Singh on Phogat‘s complaint under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (act with the intent to insult the modesty of a woman). 

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Published July 2nd, 2020 at 21:48 IST

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