A village council in Rajasthan's Rajsamand district has officially withdrawn a highly controversial order that prohibited women from using smartphones. The ban, which sparked national outrage and debate over gender discrimination, was rescinded following intense criticism from various quarters.
The Controversial Ban and Its Stated Rationale
The order was issued by the Undhela village panchayat in the Bhim block of Rajsamand district. According to the initial diktat, women were forbidden from using mobile phones. The panchayat elders, defending their decision, claimed the prohibition was implemented with the welfare of children in mind.
Panchayat member Kana Ram explained the council's perspective, stating that the rule was conceived to "keep children in mind." The underlying concern, as per the local leaders, was that children's education was suffering due to the excessive use of smartphones by their mothers. They argued that women spending time on phones led to neglect of their children's studies and overall upbringing.
Widespread Criticism and Swift Reversal
The ban immediately triggered a fierce backlash from social activists, political leaders, and the general public, who condemned it as regressive and a violation of women's rights. The criticism highlighted how such a rule unfairly targeted women, restricting their access to information, communication, and digital empowerment while placing the entire burden of child-rearing on them.
Facing this mounting pressure, the village council convened and decided to roll back the order. Sarpanch Kailash Chandra Meena confirmed the withdrawal, putting an end to the short-lived but deeply problematic regulation. The reversal signifies the power of public discourse in challenging archaic social diktats at the grassroots level.
The Broader Context of Digital Access and Social Norms
This incident in Undhela village is not an isolated one in Rajasthan or India. Several similar instances where village councils (khap panchayats) or local bodies have attempted to impose restrictions on women's mobility, attire, or use of technology have been reported in the past. These events often bring to the fore the persistent tension between rapid technological adoption and deep-rooted patriarchal norms in certain communities.
While the government runs campaigns for Digital India and women's empowerment, such bans reveal the on-ground challenges in achieving these goals. The incident raises critical questions about who controls access to technology within households and communities, and how concerns about children's welfare are often used to justify curbing women's freedoms.
The withdrawal of the ban is a relief and a positive step. However, it underscores the need for continued efforts in digital literacy and gender sensitization at all levels of society to ensure that technology becomes a tool for equality, not another avenue for control.
