GUWAHATI, Dec 11: A woman in Sipajhar town of Assam has been ostracized from society and fined Rs 5,000 for wearing salwar-kameez.
The woman named Meghali Das, or Pinki as she is addressed to by family members and other close acquaintances, narrated her shocking ordeal after fellow villagers of Gongajani Kuworigaon imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 for wearing salwar-kameez.
After she refused to heed to their diktat and said she won’t pay any fine, she was ostracised from the village.
“I have been told to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 for wearing salwar-kameez. I run a small shop and since I need to bring commodities from the market, I prefer wearing a salwar to a mekhela-sador or a saree. But villagers raised objection to my wearing salwar-kameez and have ostracized my family and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on us,” Meghali Das told News Live, adding that the fine was imposed and the diktat passed by a village kangaroo court on Dec 8.
“We are not alowed to visit the houses of other people in the village. My three children have also been told not to go to shops, let alone visit other villagers. Villagers have also asked their children to not speak to my kids at school,” she further stated.
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The woman and her husband have now sought help from Darrang district administration and officials of Sipajhar Revenue Circle following the absurd and shocking diktat of fellow villagers.
Meanwhile, villagers admitted that a fine was imposed on Meghali Das for wearing salwar-kameez and jeans but alleged that the woman was also involved in many illegal activities, including selling raw gold and illegally bottled alcohol.
